Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
SPOT-NOSED Nanobiosensors For Doctors
The SPOT-NOSED (Single Protein Nanobiosensor Grid Array) project will ultimately result in "electronic noses" to help doctors detect and identify problems by odor.
The project was financed by the European Commission's FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) initiative. The nanobiosensors are constructed by placing a layer of olfactory receptor proteins from animal noses on a microelectrod; by measuring the reaction when the proteins come in contact with odorant molecules, the system can detect odorants in concentrations that humans would miss altogether.
(Nanobiosensor - single olfactory receptor)
Two olfactory receptors (ORs) of known ligand have been expressed in yeast (S. Cerevisiae). Both receptors are localised at the plasmic membrane of the yeast cell, and a functional response to the preferential odorant has been measured in the cell. In order to transfer those receptors to the nanobiosensor, nanosomes have been prepared from the cells membrane fraction, with sizes ranging from 60nm to 40nm.
(From SPOT-NOSED)
A nanobiosensor-based electronic nose would require, at minimum, several hundred different proteins; different proteins react to different odorants. The human nose, for example, uses about 1,000 different proteins to allow the brain to determine 10,000 different smells.
This method could lead to a new and quicker way to test for the presence of disease processes in urine, blood, pus or other bodily excretions from patients. In addition, smell technology could sense rotten food, explosives, or drugs.
An electronic nose, or sniffer robot was featured in the 1985 movie Runaway, written and directed by Michael Crichton.
The project was financed by the European Commission's FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) initiative. The nanobiosensors are constructed by placing a layer of olfactory receptor proteins from animal noses on a microelectrod; by measuring the reaction when the proteins come in contact with odorant molecules, the system can detect odorants in concentrations that humans would miss altogether.
(Sniffer robot from the movie Runaway)
In the film, a man is shot using a missile-like bullet; the sniffer robot is brought in to find out more. The crime scene technician interprets the results:
"It's picking up diphenyl compounds and tetrahydrocarbons. The tetras are explosives and the diphenyls are solid propellant like those used in rockets. How big did you say these missiles are?"
(Read more about sniffer robots)
I admit that I thought this was far-fetched when I saw this movie in the theater twenty years ago; now I'm not so sure.
Those with a nose for odor-related news may enjoy dogs sniff for cancer, the odor alarm clock and the Banryu guard dragon robot. Also, I'd like to recommend this April Fool's Day article on Google AdCense can improve olfactory relevancy. Read more about nanobiosensors; take a look at the SPOT-NOSED website.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 5/15/2006)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 1 )
Related News Stories - (" Medical ")
BrainBridge Concept Transplant Of Human Head Proposed
'Briquet’s head seemed to think that to find and attach a new body to her head was as easy as to fit and sew a new dress.' - Alexander Belaev (1925)
Natural Gait With Prosthetic Connected To Nervous System
'The leg was to function, in a way, as a servo-mechanism operated by Larry’s brain...' - Charles Recour, 1949.
Brain Implant Is Able To Capture Your Inner Dialogue
'So you see, you can hide nothing from me.'
'Pregnancy Humanoids' From China Replace Moms
'A great many of these synthetic babies were made...' - David H. Keller, 1928.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
The Zapata Air Scooter Would Be Great In A Science Fiction Story
'Betty's slapdash style.'
Thermostabilized Wet Meat Product (NASA Prototype)
There are no orbiting Michelin stars. Yet.
Could Crystal Batteries Generate Power For Centuries?
'Power could be compressed thus into an inch-square cube of what looked like blue-white ice'
India Ponders Always-On Smartphone Location Tracking
'It is necessary... for your own protection.'
Amazon Will Send You Heinlein's Knockdown Cabin
'It's so light that you can set it up in five minutes by yourself...'
Is It Time To Forbid Human Driving?
'Heavy penalties... were to be applied to any one found driving manually-controlled machines.'
Replace The Smartphone With A Connected Edge Node For AI Inference
'Buy a Little Dingbat... electropen, wrist watch, pocketphone, pocket radio, billfold ... all in one.'
Artificial Skin For Robots Is Coming Right Along
'... an elastic, tinted material that had all the feel and appearance of human flesh and epidermis.'
Robot Guard Dog On Duty
I might also be thinking of K-9 from Doctor Who.
Wearable Artificial Fabric Muscles
'It is remarkable that the long leverages of their machines are in most cases actuated by a sort of sham musculature...'
BrainBridge Concept Transplant Of Human Head Proposed
'Briquet’s head seemed to think that to find and attach a new body to her head was as easy as to fit and sew a new dress.'
Google's Nano Banana Pro Presents Handwritten Math Solutions
'...copy was turned out in a charming and entirely feminine handwriting.'
Edible Meat-Like Fungus Like Barbara Hambly's Slunch?
'It was almost unheard of for slunch to spread that fast...'
Sunday Robotics 'Memo' Bot Has Unique Training Glove
'He then started hand movements of definite pattern...'
Woman Marries Computer, Vonnegut's Dream Comes True
'Men are made of protoplasm... Lasts forever.'
Natural Gait With Prosthetic Connected To Nervous System
'The leg was to function, in a way, as a servo-mechanism operated by Larry’s brain...'
