Calibration gas source and automatic chemical sensor calibration

A method of verifying operation of a sensor comprising:

• receiving user input to initiate a self-test of the sensor;
• responsive to the user input, initiating a test mode of the sensor to perform the self-test;
• activating a test gas generator that comprises a field emission array or a piezoelectric direct discharge transformer, that is part of and contained within the sensor, which generates a test gas within the sensor;
• exposing one or more chemical detectors to the test gas, the one or more chemical detectors are part of and contained within the sensor;
• monitoring for the test gas with the one or more chemical detectors;
• and
• responsive to the one or more chemical detectors detecting the test gas, generating an audio alert, visual alert, or both indicating detection of the test gas thereby verifying operation of the sensor.

A self-testing chemical sensor comprising:

• a control module in communication with one or more detectors and a calibration gas source configured control activation of a test operation of the chemical sensor and provide a notification responsive to the results of the test operation, wherein the control module comprises a memory, a processor, and a user interface;
• the one or more detectors configured to detect at least one calibration gas and, responsive to detecting at least one calibration gas, provide a detection notification signal to the control module;
• the calibration gas source comprising a field emission array or a piezoelectric direct discharge transformer within the sensor that is configured to generate and provide the at least one calibration gas to the one or more detectors responsive to activation of the test operation by the control module;
• and
• a power source configured to provide power to one or more of the control module, one or more detectors, and calibration gas source.