Disease Biomarkers Detection in Breath with a Miniaturized Electronic Nose

A miniaturized wireless electronic nose for the detection of diseases through the breath is introduced in this communication. The device presented has an electronic design similar to previous prototypes, but with a smaller size and consumption. It is equipped with four miniaturized digital gas sensors and an integrated temperature and humidity sensor. Power is provided by a battery that can be charged through a micro USB connector. The system is connected through a low-energy Bluetooth connection. Different biomarkers corresponding to three diseases have been selected to verify the capacity of the prototype to discriminate among them. CO, NO and NO2 have been selected as biomarkers of COPD or asthma, and acetone for diabetes. The e-nose has been used to measure the selected biomarkers at different concentrations, corresponding with different levels of gravity of illnesses. The target compound mixtures are generated from calibrated gas bullets and permeation tubes, with relative humidity up to 50%.