Food quality sensor and methods thereof

A sensor device comprising:

• an ergonomic body including a slot for receiving a sensor card;
• a microcontroller;
• a plurality of LEDs for displaying operational status of the sensor device and/or displaying a result;
• audio means for audibly presenting operation status of the sensor device and/or audibly presenting a result;
• a control program operational on the microcontroller for operating the sensor device and for determining a freshness of food;
• a first air inlet for placement proximate to a food product to receive air from around a food product for testing;
• a replaceable sensor card including a plurality of sensors an a sensor card inlet and a sensor card outlet, wherein the sensor card receives air in the sensor card inlet from the first air inlet, the air being vented out of the sensor card via sensor card outlet, wherein a resistance of each sensor varies upon exposure of the sensor to at least one of a plurality of predetermined molecules, particles, bacteria, viruses and biological cells;
• and
• a fan assembly including a manifold having an outlet for exhausting air from the fan assembly and/or the sensor device, a fan rotor and a cover, the cover including a fan assembly inlet which receives air from the sensor card outlet, the received air being exhausted via the outlet in the manifold.

A replaceable sensor card for a sensor device comprising:

• a plurality of sensors;
• a plurality of electrical contacts connected with the plurality of sensors, the contacts being received in a corresponding electrical connectors in a sensor device;
• a sensor card inlet;
• and
• a sensor card outlet, wherein the sensor card receives air into the sensor card via the inlet, the air eventually being vented out of the sensor card via sensor card outlet, wherein a resistance of each sensor varies upon exposure of the sensor to at least one of a plurality of predetermined molecules, particles, bacteria, viruses and biological cells.

A method for determining freshness of a food product comprising:

• measuring a first value of one or more electrical properties of one or more sensors in a food sensor device prior to the one or more sensors being exposed to an air flow received from adjacent a food product for testing;
• exposing the one or more of the sensors to a the air flow;
• measuring a second value of the one or more electrical properties of the one or more sensors;
• determining if the second value is greater, by a predetermined amount, than the first value.

A system for determining freshness of a food product comprising:

• measuring means for measuring at least one of:
• a first value of one or more electrical properties of one or more sensors in a food sensor device prior to the one or more sensors being exposed to an air flow received from adjacent a food product for testing;
• and
• a second value of the one or more electrical properties of the one or more sensors;
• exposing means for exposing the one or more of the sensors to a the air flow;
• and
• determining means for determining if the second value is greater, by a predetermined amount, than the first value.

A method for determining freshness of a food product comprising:

• measuring a first value of one or more electrical properties of one or more sensors in a food sensor device prior to the one or more sensors being exposed to an air flow received from adjacent a food product for testing;
• exposing the one or more of the sensors to a the air flow;
• measuring a second value of the one or more electrical properties of the one or more sensors;
• purging the air from around the one or more sensors;
• measuring a third value of the one or more electrical properties of the one or more sensors;
• comparing the measured values for each of the one or more sensors to determine the freshness of the food product;
• determining an individual freshness result of each of the one or more sensors based on the comparison;
• determining an ultimate freshness result of the food product based on the individual freshness results of each of the one or more sensors;
• and
• presenting a visual and/or audio indication of the freshness of the food product.

A system for determining freshness of a food product comprising:

• measuring means for measuring at least one of:
• a first value of one or more electrical properties of one or more sensors in a food sensor device prior to the one or more sensors being exposed to an air flow received from adjacent a food product for testing;
• a second value of the one or more electrical properties of the one or more sensors after exposure of the sensors to an air flow obtained from around a food product for testing;
• and
• a third value of the one or more electrical properties of the one or more sensors;
• exposing means for exposing the one or more of the sensors to a the air flow;
• purging means for purging air from around the one or more sensors;
• comparing means for comparing the measured values for each of the one or more sensors to determine the freshness of the food product;
• and
• determining means for determining at least one of:
• an individual freshness result of each of the one or more sensors based on the comparison;
• and
• an ultimate freshness result of the food product based on the individual freshness results of each of the one or more sensors;
• and
• presenting means for presenting a visual and/or audio indication of the freshness of the food product.

A method for manufacturing a material having variable electrical properties upon exposure to at least one of particles, molecules and biological cells comprising:

• dissolving or suspending polyaniline in a solvent;
• ultrasonically agitating the polyaniline-solvent mixture;
• combining the ultrasonically agitated polyaniline-solvent mixture with an acid;
• and
• combining the acid-polyaniline-solvent mixture with carbon.

A sensor material capable of variable electrical properties upon exposure to particles, molecules and/or biological cells contained in an airflow, comprising:

• between about 35-70 weight percent polyaniline;
• between about 5-25 weight percent carbon;
• and
• between about 15-86 weight percent carbon.