Device for detecting insect larvae and adult insects in stored products by sensing their volatile pheromones and semiochemicals
AssigneeSensor Development Corporation
InventorsNicholas Joseph Smilanich, Samuel Firestone Reichert, Frank Bernard Tudron
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Abstract
Minimal-cost, high-accuracy, and portable devices used to detect the presence of insect larvae and adult insects in stored products by sensing gas phase markers such as volatile pheromones, semiochemicals, and kairomones. The methods, devices, and systems disclosed herein utilize a sensor array configured to simultaneously measure a plurality of target markers and filter background gases while remaining compact, highly accurate, and easy to operate.
Claims21
A method of identifying an insect infestation of a stored product by detecting one or more target volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within a target fluid flow, the method comprising:
- providing a device that comprises:
- a sensor array including a plurality of VOC sensors, wherein each VOC sensor comprises:
- a substrate having a first and second side;
- a resistive heater circuit formed on the first side of the substrate;
- a sensing circuit formed on the second side of the substrate;
- and
- a chemically sensitive film formed over the sensing circuit on the second side of the substrate;
- heating one or more of the plurality of VOC sensors to at least a first operating temperature;
- contacting the one or more VOC sensors with the target fluid flow;
- determining a set of conductance change values (ΔKi) corresponding to each of the one or more VOC sensors contacted with the target fluid flow;
- and
- determining a gas component concentration ([X]n) for one or more of the target VOCs within the target fluid flow based on the set of conductance change values.
A device for detecting one or more target volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within a target fluid flow, the device comprising:
- a sensor array having a plurality of VOC sensors, wherein each VOC sensor includes:
- a substrate;
- a resistive heater circuit formed on a first side of the substrate;
- a sensing circuit formed on a second side of the substrate;
- and
- a chemically-sensitive film formed over the sensing circuit on the second side of the substrate.
A system for identifying an insect infestation of a stored product, the system comprising:
- a testing chamber enclosing a sensor array, the sensor array including a plurality of VOC sensors;
- an air transfer unit configured to retrieve a fluid flow and deliver the fluid flow to the testing chamber;
- and
- a controller operatively connected to the air transfer unit and the sensor array, wherein the controller is configured to:
- operate the air transfer unit to retrieve the fluid flow from and deliver the fluid flow to the testing chamber, wherein one or more of the plurality of VOC sensors are in fluid contact with the fluid flow;
- operate the sensor array to measure a conductance for one or more of the plurality of VOC sensors;
- determine a set of conductance change values corresponding to each of the one or more VOC sensors;
- and
- determine a gas component concentration for one or more target VOCs within the fluid flow based on the set of conductance change values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.