Metal oxides, electronic nose technology

In some ways, this is the same requirement faced when developing electronic nose technology. Sensor-based electronic noses are based upon an array of non-specific gas sensors coupled with a pattern recognition technique (Gardner and Bartlett, 1999 Pearce et al, 2003). Electronic noses tend to be large, expensive instruments. For example, the Fox 4000 electronic nose (Alpha MOS, France) comprises 18 power-hungry Taguchi-like metal oxide resistive gas sensors (see Fig. 15.11). 

Table 3. Some commercial companies that manufactured sensor-based electronic noses and related instruments in 2003. Key to sensor technologies MOS - metal oxide sensor, CP -conducting polymer, QMB - quartz crystal microhalance, FET - field effect transistor, SAW - surface acoustic wave key to analytical instruments MS - mass spectrometry, GC - gas chromatography, IMC - ion mobility cell...

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