[Satnews] The Space Foundation welcomes Nanobeak and Nano Mobile Healthcare into its Space Certification Program.
The entire medical community is about to breathe easier.
The mission of Nanobeak is to commercialize lifesaving, mobile breath sensor technologies that enable professionals to more efficiently screen for the earliest signs of various diseases or the presence of drugs, enabling improved health outcomes, traffic safety and significant cost savings.
The Nanobeak Sensor detects chemicals and volatile organic compounds using carbon nanotubes, and was awarded the NASA Invention of the Year in 2013.
"Nanobeak is extremely proud of our new relationship with the Space Foundation. Our proprietary chemical sensing technology utilized for early disease detection is firmly grounded in the science and technology of NASA and the Space Foundation. We firmly believe that our consistent use of the Space Certification Program seals and the benefits associated with the program, will prove to be an excellent strategic marketing decision in terms of distinction and recognition," Jeremy Barbera, Chairman & CEO, Nanobeak.
The Nano Mobile Sensor.
The use of chemical sensing and nanotechnology was developed and patented by NASA. The origins of the Nano Mobile sensor technology date back to 2007 when NASA launched the sensor into orbit and determined that the sensor worked successfully in outer space and was unaffected by extreme vibrations and sudden changes in gravity. The sensor technology was also successfully tested on the International Space Station. NASA used the original sensor technology to test the air around the astronauts and protect them from breathing in any harmful gasses.
How it works
As the vapor that makes up breath enters the Nanobeak Sensor, a chemical analysis for a 'breath print' is established and the results appear on smart phone, tablet or laptop instantly. An individual's breath print has its own medical signature and has a variety of biomarkers indicating various stages of diseases.
The science
Volatile organic compounds (VOC's) are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point which causes large number of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and enter the surrounding air. The exhaled human breath contains a few hundred volatile organic compounds and is used in breath analysis to serve as a VOC biomarker to test for diseases.
Other applications
The Nanobeak Sensor technology will eventually enable law enforcement across the United States to determine in real time the level of illegal drugs in a driver's body. The current plan is to have the drug sensor available on the commercial market next year for marijuana detection.
Although not yet on the commercial market, the Sensor is expected to be available through popular pharmacy businesses for early detection of streptococcal pharyngitis, better known as strep throat. The company also plans to have the sensor available on the commercial market next year for marijuana detection.