Portable High Sensitivity and High Resolution Sensor to Determine Oxygen Purity Levels, Phase I

The multiplexing capabilities of the device make it very attractive for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to process control. A study by Frost & Sullivan titled " World Gas Sensors, Detectors and Analyzers Market" reveals that these markets earned revenues of over $1 billion in 2005 and estimates this to exceed $1.4 billion in 2012 (Source: Frost and Sullivan Report MC1377591, August 31, 2006). Pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, fermentation monitoring, cell culturing, and tissue culturing represent additional important applications. Upon repackaging, the device will have applications in firefighting, hazardous material response, hazardous material workers, industrial safety workers (e.g., coal miners, steel workers, etc.), and industrial confined space monitoring associated with many occupations (e.g., industrial chemical manufacturing). NASA vision calls for safe, affordable human missions beyond Earth orbit to Mars, and through the Solar System. Monitoring and controlling of the life-support process needs to be performed by devices having attributes such as: (a) high accuracy and precision, (b) reduced size and weight, (c) long operational life, (d) reliable performance, (e) minimal calibration and maintenance requirements, and (f) portability. Oxygen is the "breath of life" in the environmental life support system (ECLS) for space-craft crew habitat and during extravehicular activities (EVA). In situ O2 production is likely in the future. The proposed sensor technology will provide NASA with a low-cost, robust, highly sensitive and accurate O2 sensor in a portable format. More »