Gas sensor technology makes the invisible, visible. A plethora of different technology types can be used to measure analytes related to safety and health – quantifying the composition of air quality inside and out. In the next ten years, the focus on sensor networks within smart buildings is expected to grow, offering greater automation and predictive maintenance. Environmental gas sensor technology, old and new, will likely find opportunities in the air quality monitoring market, as well as in related applications such as breath diagnostics and electric vehicle battery monitoring.
Mass-digitization to drive widespread air quality monitoring
Once a concern reserved for industrial facility managers, sophisticated air quality monitoring with gas sensors will both inform policy and enable consumers to make more informed choices regarding issues such as pollution, air-born pandemics, and even climate change.
Widely distributed gas sensor networks will enable automated ventilation of schools and homes, monitor urban air quality, change government policies, control traffic, and more. The era of gas sensor data as technical information only accessible to scientists is ending, being overtaken by sensors that are easy to use, low power, and affordable.
Mass-digitization of gas measurements will rely on software that goes beyond visualization, adding value through improved sensitivity, companion apps, and closed-loop control. IDTechEx assesses the hardware and business models, enabling continuous measurement and identify commercial opportunities within environmental monitoring and air quality.
Hype versus realistic opportunity for digitized smell
There is no denying that aroma is important to us. The quality of food and drink is often first assessed just after it is smelt. This ranges from whether yesterday’s milk is safe to expert opinions on the merits of a wine vintage. Historically, the human nose has been a person’s only means of identifying aromas – until now.
New sensor technology claims to act as a digital replacement for the nose and brain, capable of objectively quantifying smells. Moreover, the size and power of these so-called ‘e-noses’ are small enough to allow them to be integrated into everything from cars and fridges to smart home products and phones. But how does digital smell work, and does the technology readiness level match the hype?
IDTechEx not only explain the principle of ‘e-nose’ technology but also compares the performance of newly commercialized devices – extracting realistic opportunities from marketing hype.
Technological roadmap towards miniaturization
Sensors small enough to fit inside a smartphone sell in high volumes, and micron scale gas sensor technology is emerging from the lab. Demand from the public for air quality sensors spiked during the pandemic, a trend set to continue beyond 2022.
Newly commercialized technology uses carbon nanotube inks printed on thin films. These advanced materials are a thousand times more sensitive than competitor technology. Optical particle counters are also shrinking, perhaps finally small enough to fit within wearables.
IDTechEx benchmarks the performance and application of this and other early-stage technology against established techniques. Alongside an in-depth review of printed sensors, IDTechEx provide a roadmap towards ultra-miniaturized gas sensors.
