Intelligent electro-optical sensor array and method for analyte detection

A sensor array for detecting target analytes in a fluid, said sensor array comprising:

• a plurality of fluid-permeable, textured dye substrates having a high surface area and high surface area to volume ratio, said substrates having high open porosity, said substrates having high permeability to fluids;
• a plurality of dye compounds dispersed on a plurality of internal and external surfaces within said textured dye substrates, said dye compounds providing a characteristic optical response when subjected to excitation light energy in the presence of a target analyte;
• said dye substrates and said dye compounds forming a plurality of sensor array elements;
• and
• a substrate support.

A method for detecting a target analyte in a fluid comprising the steps of:

• a) contacting said sample with a sensor array comprising:
• i) a fluid-permeable, textured dye substrate having a high surface area and high. surface area to volume ratio, said substrate having high open porosity, said substrate having high permeability to fluids;
• and
• ii) a dye compound dispersed on a plurality of internal and external surfaces within said textured dye substrate, said dye compound providing a characteristic optical response when subjected to excitation light energy in the presence of a target analyte;
• and
• b) detecting the presence or absence of said target analyte.

A method for detecting a target analyte in a fluid comprising the steps of:

• setting primary sampling parameters for a sensor array;
• contacting said fluid with said array;
• detecting a first plurality of optical responses produced by interaction of said fluid with said array;
• comparing said first plurality of responses to a first stored spatio-temporal response for said primary parameters for said analyte;
• setting secondary sampling parameters for said array wherein at least one sampling parameter is changed;
• detecting a second plurality of optical responses produced by interaction of said fluid with said array;
• comparing said second plurality of responses to a second stored spatio-temporal response for said secondary parameters for said analyte;
• and detecting the presence or absence of said analyte.

A sensing system for detecting and identifying an analyte in a fluid comprising:

• a cross-reactive sensor array comprising
• a plurality of dye compounds,
• a plurality of porous, permeable, high surface area, textured dye substrates,
• said dye compounds and said dye substrates forming a plurality of sensor elements,
• a substrate support;
• an excitation light source array comprising a plurality of light sources optically coupled to said sensor elements;
• a detector array comprising a plurality of detectors optically coupled to said sensor elements;
• a sample chamber for housing said sensor elements, said light source array, said detector array;
• a sampling means enclosed in said chamber for drawing said fluid into said chamber for contact with said sensor array for a controlled exposure time;
• a controller means in electrical communication with said light sources, said detectors, and said sampling means, said controller means electrically coordinating and switching said sampling means with said light sources and said detectors for sampling said fluid, measuring optical responses of said array sensors to said fluid, and detecting said analyte;
• and
• an analyte identification algorithm for comparing said measured sensor optical responses to characteristic optical responses of said sensors to target analytes and identifying said analyte in said fluid.

A smart sensing system for intelligent detecting and identifying an analyte in a fluid comprising:

• a cross-reactive sensor array comprising a plurality of sensors;
• a detector array comprising a plurality of detectors in communication with said sensors;
• a sampling chamber for housing said sensor array and said detector array;
• a sampling means enclosed in said chamber for drawing said fluid into said chamber for contact with said sensor array for a controlled exposure time;
• a microcontroller in electrical communication with said sampling means and said detector array, said controller means electrically coordinating and switching said sampling means and said detector array for sampling said fluid, measuring responses of said sensors to said fluid, detecting said analyte, and reporting an analyte detection result;
• an intelligent sampling algorithm for directing said microcontroller, said sampling algorithm selecting sensors and detectors, said sampling algorithm coordinating said electrical communication for said switching, said sampling, said measuring, said detecting and said reporting, said sampling algorithm setting first and second sampling parameters;
• and
• an analyte identification algorithm in communication with said sampling algorithm and said microcontroller, said identification algorithm comparing said measured sensor optical responses to characteristic responses of said sensors to target analytes and identifying said analyte in said fluid.