Spatially Varied Plasmonic-Photonic Sensor for Rapid Agent Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic airborne systems for detecting and mapping olfactory plumes are slow, require heavy sensors, and are not suitable for indoor use or in the presence of GPS spoofers, making them inefficient for rapid three-dimensional mapping of rapidly changing odor plumes.
Innovation Solution
A bio-hybrid odor-localizing autonomous air vehicle (smellicopter) equipped with a spatially varied plasmonic-photonic sensor that uses a biological sensor mounted on a drone, capable of mapping olfactory plumes through an olfactory-driven search pattern, and transmitting data to a management console.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If semiconductor gas sensors are used for airborne chemical detection, then detection capability is achieved, but response time becomes excessively slow (over ten minutes)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces semiconductor gas sensors with a biological sensor system that uses living organisms (such as fruit flies) equipped with olfactory receptors. This biological detection system responds to odor plumes in real-time, eliminating the ten-minute delay characteristic of semiconductor sensors while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection mechanism from electronic semiconductor response to biological olfactory response. By utilizing the natural speed of biological sensory systems, the response time parameter is dramatically reduced from over ten minutes to near-real-time detection, while the detection capability is preserved through the sensitivity of biological olfactory receptors.
2Measurement precision
If heavy sensors are used to detect prevailing airflow, then airflow detection accuracy is improved, but platform weight increases preventing use of lightweight platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical airflow sensors with a biological sensor system that detects airflow through the olfactory responses of living organisms. This substitution dramatically reduces the weight of the detection system while maintaining the ability to detect and map odor plumes in three-dimensional space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes from mechanical measurement of airflow to biological detection of odor plumes carried by airflow. This parameter change enables the use of lightweight aerial platforms (such as drones or flying robots) that can maneuver freely to map the plume structure, whereas heavy sensors would have constrained platform selection.
3Measurement precision
If GPS-based speed comparison is used for plume mapping, then position tracking is achieved, but system fails indoors or in GPS spoofer/jammer environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces GPS-based position tracking with an inertial navigation system that uses onboard sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes) to track the platform's position and orientation. This substitution eliminates dependency on external GPS signals, enabling operation indoors and in environments with GPS spoofing or jamming, while maintaining the ability to map odor plumes in three-dimensional space.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, efficient, and lightweight detection and mapping of olfactory plumes, allowing for real-time location association and identification of airborne agents without the need for bulky equipment or GPS reliance.
Implementation Method 1
a biological sensor mounted on the airborne robotic platform that reacts to at least one olfactory odor. In particular embodiments, the biological sensor is a spatially varied plasmonic-photonic sensor for detection and identification of airborne agents
Data Source
AI summary
An odor-localizing autonomous air vehicle includes an airborne robotic platform having a navigation platform, a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to a management console, and an olfactory sensor mounted on the airborne robotic platform that reacts to at least one olfactory odor. A controller is communicatively coupled to the airborne robotic platform, the navigation platform, and the biological sensor. The controller monitors the olfactory sensor. In response to the biological sensor detecting the at least one olfactory odor, the controller directs the airborne platform to three-dimensionally map an olfactory plume of the at least one olfactory odor using an olfactory-driven search pattern. The controller stores the three-dimensional map for later retrieval or transmits the three-dimensional map of the olfactory plume to the management console via the wireless transmitter. The olfactory sensor is a photonic crystal enclosure that contains plasmonic nanoparticles.