IIT Jodhpur Researchers Develop the First “Make in India” Sensor for Alcohol Detection through Breath Monitoring

Researchers at IIT Jodhpur have developed India's first human breath sensor using metal oxides and nano silicon that works at room temperature. It has potential applications in diagnosing diseases like asthma and diabetic ketoacidosis. Check details here 

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur researchers have developed India's inaugural "Make in India" breath sensor, utilising metal oxides and nano silicon that functions at room temperature. Initially designed to assess alcohol levels for drunk driving cases, modifications in sensing layers and incorporating a sensor array (mimicking an Electronic or Artificial Nose) along with data analytics, extend its utility to diagnosing conditions such as asthma, diabetic ketoacidosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, and cardiac arrest by monitoring volatile organic compounds in breath.

The research was funded by the Biotechnology Ignition Grant Scheme (BIG), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), and the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Development of Non-Invasive Health Monitoring Device

With the growing concerns about the negative effects of air pollution on human health and the environment led to the need for a quick, affordable, and non-invasive device for health monitoring. Current sensors rely on either fuel cell-based or metal oxide technologies. This need inspired researchers to create a breath volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor that would be more cost-effective than devices based on fuel cell technology. 

Following this, the team developed a breath monitoring sensor utilizing partially reduced graphene oxide. This research was conducted by Mr. Nikhil Vadera, a PhD student at IDRP- Smart Healthcare, IIT Jodhpur, and Dr. Saakshi Dhanekar, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Jodhpur, and their findings were published in IEEE Sensors Letters.

Electronic Nose 

A similar electronic nose could be adapted to monitor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the environment and detect other breath biomarkers for diseases by tweaking the sensors and machine learning algorithms. VOCs, which are a wide range of organic chemicals that can vaporize into the air, are often present in many products and settings.

The technology behind this device is an electronic nose with room-temperature operable heterostructure (metal oxide with nano silicon). The sensors react with the alcohol in the sample and depict a change in resistance. 

Talking about the future scope of the research, Dr. Saakshi Dhanekar, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Jodhpur said, “Continued research and development in these directions could lead to the practical implementation of the breath diagnostics in various fields, ranging from healthcare and wellness to wearable technology and IoT applications. The output of the sensors can be connected to Raspberry Pi and the data can be sent to a doctor or phone.” 

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