RESUMO
A frugal humidity sensor that can detect changes in the humidity of exhaled breath of individuals has been fabricated. The sensor comprises a humidity-sensitive conducting polymer that is in situ formed on a cloth that acts as a substrate. Interdigitated silver electrodes were screen-printed on the modified cloth, and conducting threads connected the electrodes to the measurement circuit. The sensor's response to changing humidity was measured as a voltage drop across the sensor using a microcontroller. The sensor was capable of discerning between fast, normal, and slow breathing based on the response time. A response time of â¼1.3 s was observed for fast breathing. An Android-based mobile application was designed to collect sensor data via Bluetooth for analysis. A time series classification algorithm was implemented to analyze patterns in breathing. The sensor was later stitched onto a face mask, transforming it into a smart mask that can monitor changes in the breathing pattern at work, play, and sleep.
RESUMO
Imprinted charged aqueous droplets of micrometer dimensions containing spherical gold and silver nanoparticles, gold nanorods, proteins and simple molecules were visualized using dark-field and transmission electron microscopies. With such studies, we hoped to understand the unusual chemistry exhibited by microdroplets. These droplets with sizes in the range of 1-100 µm were formed using a home-built electrospray source with nitrogen as the nebulization gas. Several remarkable features such as mass/size-selective segregation and spatial localization of solutes in nanometer-thin regions of microdroplets were visualized, along with the formation of micro-nano vacuoles. Electrospray parameters such as distance between the spray tip and surface, voltage and nebulization gas pressure influenced particle distribution within the droplets. We relate these features to unusual phenomena such as the enhancement of rates of chemical reactions in microdroplets.
