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Biosensor for Detection of Disease at an Early Stage
A research team led by Dr. Larysa Baraban at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) develops intelligent, miniaturized biosensor devices and systems using nanomaterials to determine biomolecules and cells as well as biochemical reactions or processes as disease markers.The ability to detect diseases at an early stage or even predict their onset would be of tremendous benefit to doctors and patients alike. These biosensors can be designed to specifically detect different biomolecules. Different pathogens cause different electrical potentials and therefore different currents. For example, cancer cells cause different currents than a flu virus.
The team’s current publication in Biosensors and Bioelectronics describes the development of a portable, palm-sized test system that can simultaneously carry out up to 32 analyses of one sample.
Various possibilities and mechanisms exist for detecting pathogens in body fluids. One option that Baraban investigates at the HZDR-Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research is the detection using field-effect transistors (FETs) from the realm of electronics.
The operating principle is simple: a defined electrical current flows from A to B. This current can be regulated by the electrical potential on the surface of a gate, which functions like a precise, continuous valve.
Disease-relevant biomolecules bind to the gate surface and thereby change the electrical potential and therefore the current as well. If there is no significant change in the current, no biomolecules have bound to the sensor surface. On the other hand, a change in the current means that disease-related molecules can be detected on the sensor surface.
For more details please see the following research article…
A new approach for fast and cost-effective pathogen detection https://phys.org/news/2024-02-approach-fast-effective-pathogen.html
https://phys.org/news/2024-02-approach-fast-effective-pathogen.amp
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023
Scientists Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus and Aleksey Ekimov won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of tiny clusters of atoms known as quantum dots, widely used today to create colours in flat screens, light emitting diode (LED) lamps.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots.”
Everyone who studies chemistry learns that an element’s properties are governed by how many electrons it has. However, when matter shrinks to nano-dimensions quantum phenomena arise; these are governed by the size of the matter.
The 2023 Nobel Prize laureates in chemistry have succeeded in producing particles so small that their properties are determined by quantum phenomena. The particles, which are called quantum dots, are now of great importance in nanotechnology.
Credits: Google and Facebook social media
Microneedle-based Wearable Sensors for Real-time Health Monitoring
Microneedle sensors could enable minimally-invasive, continuous molecular monitoring providing information on disease status and treatment in real time. Such wearable sensors for pharmaceuticals would create opportunities for treatments personalized to individual pharmacokinetics in futuristic healthcare systems. A new study introduces a method using aptamer-based microneedle sensors for real-time monitoring of specific biomolecules in the body. These sensors are embedded in stainless steel microneedles and can detect substances in the blood. This offers the potential for monitoring multiple biomarkers. Microneedles allow direct access to the skin’s interstitial space, enabling less invasive and more frequent measurements. This technique has the potential to revolutionize wearable health monitoring, making it more effective and accessible. For more details, please go to the original research paper by clicking the following link:
Microneedle-based Wearable Sensors for Real-time Health Monitoring
Microfludics-based Sensors for Healthcare
Microfluidics has emerged as a promising technology for medical and environmental testing.
The recent innovations in the field of microfluidics applied to diagnostic/medical devices and point-of-care medicine
For more information please read the article
https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/55654/microfluidics-based-sensors-for-one-health
Drone Technology in Agriculture
Drone technology has become increasingly popular in agriculture in recent years, offering numerous benefits to farmers and growers. Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with cameras and other sensors that can capture high-resolution images, videos, and other data about crops. Drones can be used to apply fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs precisely, reducing waste and improving the effectiveness of the applications. Irrigation management using drones is a modern and innovative approach that can help farmers manage their crops more efficiently. Crop monitoring using drones is a modern and effective way to gather data and insights about crops. Drones can also be used to identify crop stress, nutrient deficiencies, and other issues before they become visible to the naked eye. Livestock monitoring using drones is also a rapidly growing field that offers numerous benefits to farmers and ranchers. Drones can be used to monitor livestock in remote areas, providing farmers with real-time data on their animals’ health and behavior. Here are some ways in which drones are being used in agriculture:
CROP MONITORING
Crop monitoring using drones is a modern technique that has been adopted by many farmers and agricultural companies. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are equipped with various sensors and cameras that can capture high-resolution images of crops and farmland. To use drones for crop monitoring, farmers typically fly them over their fields and capture images and data. They can then use software to analyze this data and gain insights about their crops. Some drone manufacturers also offer software that can automatically identify crop stress and diseases from images captured by drones. Drones can be equipped with high-resolution cameras that can capture images of crops, allowing farmers to monitor crop health, growth, and yield. This can help them identify potential issues early on and take corrective action before the problem worsens. The images captured by drones can be used for a variety of purposes, such as crop mapping, soil analysis, crop health assessment, and yield prediction. With the help of these images, farmers and agricultural companies can identify areas of their fields that need attention, such as pest infestations, nutrient deficiencies, or areas that require irrigation. Crop monitoring using drones is also beneficial because it saves time and reduces the cost of manual labor. Drones can cover large areas of farmland quickly and efficiently, which allows farmers to monitor their crops more frequently and make better decisions about how to manage their fields. Furthermore, drones equipped with thermal sensors can detect temperature differences in crops, which can indicate plant stress or disease. This allows farmers to take proactive measures to prevent crop loss and optimize their yield. Crop monitoring using drones can provide farmers with a wide range of benefits. For example, it can help them to:
In summary, crop monitoring using drones is a powerful tool for modern agriculture. It allows farmers and agricultural companies to improve their crop management practices, save time and resources, and ultimately increase their crop yield and profitability. Overall, crop monitoring using drones can help farmers to make more informed decisions and improve their crop yield and quality.
PRECISION FARMING
Precision farming is an approach to agriculture that utilizes advanced technologies to optimize crop yields, reduce waste, and increase efficiency. One such technology that has gained significant traction in recent years is the use of drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in precision farming. Drones can be used to apply fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs precisely, reducing waste and improving the effectiveness of the applications. The use of drones in precision farming can lead to increased efficiency, reduced costs, and improved crop yields, while also minimizing the environmental impact of farming practices.
Drones can be used in a variety of ways in precision farming, such as:
FIELD MAPPING
Drones can create detailed maps of fields, which can help farmers identify variations in soil composition, moisture levels, and other factors that can impact crop health. Field mapping using drones in agriculture involves using small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, to collect data about crop health, growth, and yields. Drones equipped with cameras and sensors can capture high-resolution images and data, which can then be analyzed to gain insights into crop conditions.
There are several benefits to using drones for field mapping in agriculture. Drones can cover large areas of land quickly and efficiently, allowing farmers to assess crop conditions and make informed decisions about irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. Drones can also be used to identify crop stress, nutrient deficiencies, and other issues before they become visible to the naked eye. To use drones for field mapping in agriculture, farmers typically first create a flight plan for the drone using specialized software. The drone is then flown over the fields, capturing images and data that can be processed using specialized software to create maps and visualizations of crop conditions.
In addition to field mapping, drones can also be used for other agricultural applications such as crop spraying, planting, and livestock monitoring. As drone technology continues to improve, it is likely that their use in agriculture will become more widespread, helping farmers to improve crop yields, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact. Field mapping using drones in agriculture involves using unmanned aerial vehicles to gather data and create detailed maps of agricultural fields. These maps can be used by farmers to monitor crop health, identify potential problem areas, and make more informed decisions about irrigation, fertilization, and other farming practices. Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras or multispectral sensors can capture images of crops and fields from various angles, altitudes, and wavelengths. These images are then processed using specialized software to create accurate 2D or 3D maps, as well as other useful data such as plant height, density, and yield estimates.
The benefits of using drones for field mapping in agriculture include:
Overall, using drones for field mapping in agriculture can help farmers optimize crop yields, reduce costs, and improve sustainability by minimizing the use of inputs such as water and fertilizer.
IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT
Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras can detect areas of crops that are experiencing stress due to lack of water. This can help farmers adjust their irrigation practices to ensure that all crops receive the appropriate amount of water. Irrigation management using drones is an emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionize agriculture. With drones, farmers can monitor their fields more efficiently, accurately, and at a lower cost than traditional methods. Here are some of the ways that drones can be used for irrigation management:
Irrigation management using drones is a modern and innovative approach that can help farmers manage their crops more efficiently. Drones equipped with cameras and sensors can be used to monitor crop growth, detect water stress, and optimize irrigation scheduling. Overall, irrigation management using drones has the potential to improve crop yields, reduce water waste, and increase efficiency in agriculture. The use of drones for irrigation management can help farmers to optimize their water usage, reduce costs, and improve crop yields.
LIVESTOCK MONITORING
Livestock monitoring using drones is a rapidly growing field that offers numerous benefits to farmers and ranchers. Drones can be used to monitor livestock in remote areas, providing farmers with real-time data on their animals’ health and behavior. Here are some of the ways in which drones are used for livestock monitoring:
Hence, livestock monitoring using drones can help farmers save time and resources while improving animal welfare and productivity. However, it’s important to note that there are regulatory considerations and potential privacy issues that need to be addressed when using drones for this purpose.
Finally, we can conclude that drones have the potential to increase crop yields, reduce input costs, and improve farm efficiency and sustainability.
Source: OpenAI’s chatGPT
Nanosensors technology for smart intelligent agriculture
Agriculture requires technical solutions for increasing production while lessening environmental impact by reducing the application of agrochemicals and increasing the use of environmentally friendly management practices. Both biotic and abiotic stresses lead to a massive loss in crop yield, leading to a decrease in agricultural production worldwide. The loss of agricultural products can be minimized by adopting modern technology such as smartphones with nanosensors to detect crop stress at an early stage. Smart and precision agriculture are emerging areas where nanosensors and electronic devices can play an important role in improving crop productivity by monitoring crop health status in real-time. Various types of nanosensors have been reported for the detection and monitoring of plant signal molecules and metabolic contents related to biotic and abiotic stresses. Nanobiosensors are customized using various properties of nanomaterials to combat various challenges of contemporary techniques. Nanobiosensors have unprecedented levels of performance for sensing the ultra-trace amount of various analytes for in vivo measurement. These nanosensors communicate with and actuate electronic devices for agricultural automation. Thus, both biotic and abiotic plant stresses and nutritional deficiency are monitored in real-time to report crop health status for precise and efficient use of resources. This chapter discusses the recent advances in nanosensors technology and their applications for smart intelligent agriculture.
Chapter number 14
Nanosensor Technology for Smart Intelligent Agriculture
By Suresh Kaushik
Book
Agricultural Biotechnology
Edition 1st Edition
First Published 2022
Imprint CRC Press
Pages 33
eBook ISBN 9781003268468
https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003268468
Electronics ‘Tattoos’
Electronic “tattoos” using thin-film electronic patches would be used for monitoring healthcare in future in terms of better signal quality, higher patient comfort and wearability. Applications include Electrocardiography (heart monitoring), electroencephalography (brain activity monitoring), electrooculography (eye movement monitoring) or electromyography (recording of muscle activity) both for hand gesture classification and detection of facial expressions.
For more information about this please click the links..
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adfm.202205956
Quantum Dot LED lights from Rice Husk
Photo: Pixabay
Quantum Dot LED lights from Rice Husk
The research team from Hiroshima University is searching a method to fabricate the silicon (Si) quantum dots (QD) LED lights from rice husk. Generally, QDs involving toxic material such as Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) or other heavy metals have environmental concerns, but the proposed process and fabrication method minimizes these concerns. Silicon (Si) is non-toxic and found abundantly in nature and has photoluminescence properties. The team used a combination of milling, heat treatments, and chemical etching to process the rice husk silica. Then, its surface was chemically functionalized for high chemical stability and high dispersivity in the solvent, with 3 nm crystalline particles to produce the SiQDs that luminesce in the orange-red range. Milling rice to separate the grain from the husks produces about 100 million tons of rice husk waste globally each year. Their new method would transform agricultural waste into state-of-the-art light-emitting diodes in a low-cost, environmentally friendly way. For more information, please click the following link:
https://lnkd.in/dnR9gqSF
Nanosensors for Water Quality Monitoring
Nanosensors based on nanomaterials are being designed for high-efficiency, multiplex-functionality, and high-flexibility sensing applications. Many existing nanosensors have the inherent capacity to achieve such goals; however, they require further development into consumer- and operator-friendly tools with the ability to detect analytes in previously inaccessible locations, as well as at a greater scale than heretofore possible. Here, I discuss how nanotechnology-enabled sensors have great, as yet unmet, promise to provide widespread and potentially low-cost monitoring of chemicals, microbes, and other analytes in drinking water.
Referance:
Vikesland, P.J. Nanosensors for water quality monitoring. Nature Nanotech 13, 651–660 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-018-0209-9
Ginger Fingers 