HIGH-PRECISION INTELLIGENT INTERFACE FOR A HYBRID ELECTRONIC NOSE

At present all commercial electronic noses mag be described as monotyp e, that is, they rely on a single class of sensing material and transd uction principle such as conducting polymers or semiconducting oxides chemoresistors. However, in order to meet the emerging needs of the in dustry, we need to design superior instruments and to this end we have developed a multitype programmable electronic instrument. First. it c an handle a wide range: of sensor baseline values (e.g., three orders of magnitude of resistance). Secondly, it has a high resolution and st ability with, if desired, embedded numerical temperature compensation. Thirdly. sensor signals can be mathematically pre-processed in order to enhance the discrimination power of the electronic nose. The instru ment can employ resistive and piezoelectric sensors in arrays, either paired or on integrated devices, to make a multitype or hybrid electro nic nose with improved dynamic characteristics. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie nce S.A.