Intelligent electro-optical sensor array and method for analyte detection

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

• contacting said sample with a cross-reactive sensor array comprised of
• a plurality of fluid-permeable, signal enhancing, porous, textured substrates having a high surface area and high surface area to volume ratio, said substrates having a pore size distribution comprising substantially open pores;
• and
• a plurality of sensor materials, each one of said sensor materials dispersed on a plurality of internal and external surfaces within at least one of said substrates, each of said sensor materials providing a characteristic optical response when subjected to excitation light energy in the presence of target analytes, each combination of at least one of said substrates with at least one of said sensor materials forming a discrete sensor array element, each of said substrates providing essentially free, unimpeded access for transport of analyte-containing fluids to each of said dispersed sensor materials, each of said substrates providing enhanced responsivity, selectivity and discrimination of said sensor elements to said target analytes;
• and
• detecting the presence or absence of said target analytes from a plurality of characteristic optical response signals produced by a plurality of said sensor elements.

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

• providing a cross-reactive sensor array comprising,
• a plurality of fluid-permeable, signal enhancing, porous, textured substrates having a high surface area and high surface area to volume ratio, said substrates having a pore size distribution comprising substantially open pores;
• and
• a plurality of sensor materials, each one of said sensor materials dispersed on a plurality of internal and external surfaces within at least one of said substrates, each of said sensor materials providing a characteristic optical response when subjected to excitation light energy in the presence of target analytes, each combination of at least one of said substrates with at least one of said sensor materials forming a discrete sensor array element, each of said substrates providing essentially free, unimpeded access for transport of analyte-containing fluids to each of said dispersed sensor materials, each of said substrates providing enhanced responsivity, selectivity and discrimination of said sensor elements to said target analytes;
• setting primary sampling parameters for said sensor array;
• contacting said fluid with said array;
• detecting a first plurality of optical responses produced by interaction of said fluid with said array sensors;
• comparing said first plurality of responses to a first stored spatio-temporal response for said primary parameters for said analytes;
• 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 sensor elements;
• comparing said second plurality of responses to a second stored spatio-temporal response for said secondary parameters for said analytes;
• and
• detecting the presence or absence of said analytes.

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

• a cross-reactive sensor array comprised of
• a plurality of fluid-permeable, signal enhancing, porous, textured substrates having a high surface area and high surface area to volume ratio, said substrates having a pore size distribution comprising substantially open pores;
• and
• a plurality of sensor materials, each one of said sensor materials dispersed on a plurality of internal and external surfaces within at least one of said substrates, each of said sensor materials providing a characteristic optical response when subjected to excitation light energy in the presence of target analytes, each combination of at least one of said substrates with at least one of said sensor materials forming a discrete sensor array element, each of said substrates providing essentially free, unimpeded access for transport of analyte-containing fluids to each of said dispersed sensor materials, each of said substrates providing enhanced responsivity, selectivity and discrimination of said sensor elements to said target analytes;
• an excitation light source array comprising a plurality of individual light sources, each light source being optically coupled to one sensor element;
• an optical detector array comprising a plurality of individual detectors, each detector being optically coupled to one sensor element;
• a sample chamber for housing said sensor array, said light source 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 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 sensor elements to said fluid, and detecting said analytes;
• and
• an analyte identification algorithm for comparing said measured sensor optical responses to characteristic optical responses of said sensor elements to target analytes and identifying said analytes in said fluid.

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

• a cross-reactive sensor array comprised of
• a plurality of fluid-permeable, signal enhancing, porous, textured substrates having a high surface area and high surface area to volume ratio, said substrates having a pore size distribution comprising substantially open pores;
• and
• a plurality of sensor materials, each one of said sensor materials dispersed on a plurality of internal and external surfaces within at least one of said substrates, each of said sensor materials providing a characteristic optical response when subjected to excitation light energy in the presence of target analytes, each combination of at least one of said substrates with at least one of said sensor materials forming a discrete sensor array element, each of said substrates providing essentially free, unimpeded access for transport of analyte-containing fluids to each of said dispersed sensor materials, each of said substrates providing enhanced responsivity, selectivity and discrimination of said sensor elements to said target analytes;
• an excitation light source array comprising a plurality of individual light sources, each light source being optically coupled to one sensor element;
• an optical detector array comprising a plurality of individual detectors, each detector being optically coupled to one sensor element;
• a sampling chamber for housing said sensor array, said light source 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, said light source array and said detector array, said controller means electrically coordinating and switching said sampling means, said light source array and said detector array for sampling said fluid, for measuring responses of said sensor elements to said fluid, for detecting said analytes and for reporting analyte detection results;
• an intelligent sampling algorithm for directing said microcontroller, said sampling algorithm selecting sensors, light sources and detectors, said sampling algorithm coordinating said microcontroller 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 sensor elements to target analytes and identifying said analytes in said sample.