The Electronic Nose (E-Nose)
Materia Nova designs and develops sensitive materials for the fabrication of advanced sensors capable of measuring critical parameters in complex environments.
These sensors enable the detection and monitoring of environmental variables (NO₂, O₃, VOCs, NH₃, etc.), bacterial indicators, oxygen (O₂), pH, carbon dioxide (CO₂), as well as other key parameters in cell culture and bioprocesses.
Thanks to their high sensitivity and selectivity, these sensors form the building blocks of more sophisticated analytical devices, such as electronic noses.
Technologies integrated into the electronic nose
The electronic nose developed by Materia Nova relies on the multidisciplinary integration of several complementary technologies, including electrical and optical transduction, sensitive micro- and nanomaterials, microfluidics, spectroscopy techniques such as FT-IR, as well as molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs).
This technological synergy enables multiparametric detection, recognition of complex chemical signatures, precise quantification of analytes, and high performance in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and robustness.
Application fields
Materia Nova’s electronic nose technologies are applied across multiple sectors, supported by various research and innovation projects:
- Early detection of lung cancer
Analysis of exhaled breath to identify specific volatile organic compounds acting as biomarkers, enabling earlier and non-invasive diagnosis. - Monitoring and prediction of epileptic seizures
Development of implants integrating electrode arrays or optical sensors capable of monitoring neuronal activity and detecting critical events in real time. - Control of biocontrol agents
Real-time monitoring of the presence and activity of microorganisms or biocidal molecules used in biopesticides, using dedicated optical sensors. - Smart and responsive wound dressings
Integration of sensors into smart dressings to detect early healing disorders, ensure continuous wound monitoring, trigger controlled activation of active agents (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, etc.), and enable rapid, targeted therapeutic intervention. - Detection of microorganisms and biofilms
Hybrid approach combining FT-IR spectroscopy for detection on contaminated surfaces, microfluidics and optics for identification of agricultural pathogens, and MIPs for quantification of proteins and polysaccharides, achieving very high levels of sensitivity and selectivity. - Agricultural and agri-food sector
In agriculture and food industries, electronic noses are used for detection, classification, and quality control of products through the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by plants and food products.
Our strengths
- Extensive experience in sensor material development through international projects
- Expertise in designing and optimizing different types of sensitive materials (resistive, optical, and fluorescent)
- Mastery of multiple deposition techniques: screen printing, PVD, CVD, dip-coating, spray coating, spin-coating, inkjet, spray pyrolysis, etc.
- Development and processing of active materials (semiconducting metal oxides, conductive polymers, molecularly imprinted polymers, etc.)
- Characterization and performance evaluation under controlled conditions
