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MIT researchers figure out way to turn phones into odor-o-meters

MIT reports some of its researchers have developed a method to produce cheap NFC-based sensors that could tell if a box contains spoiled food - or explosives.

These inexpensive sensors could be widely deployed, making it easier to monitor public spaces or detect food spoilage in warehouses. Using this system, the researchers have demonstrated that they can detect gaseous ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and cyclohexanone, among other gases.

“The beauty of these sensors is that they are really cheap. You put them up, they sit there, and then you come around and read them. There’s no wiring involved. There’s no power,” says Timothy Swager, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Chemistry at MIT. “You can get quite imaginative as to what you might want to do with a technology like this.”

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Comments

My first thought is how these detectors might be used to detect lapses in personal hygiene, lapses in apartment, kitchen, kitchen sink, fridge, and laundry basket cleaning. Simply detecting old leftovers in the back of the fridge is worthwhile.

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Like, when people have their phones in their pockets to log their mileage during active physical activity on a hot day.

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Yes Swirls , if it worked for carbon monoxide , think of the people that leave the phone on bedside that would be made aware. Good work , MITers !

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From the folks who brought you the smelloscope, now comes the smellophone!

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