A METHOD, A SENSING MODULE AND A KIT TO DETECT A CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE IN AN ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The present invention relates to A method to detect a specific chemical substance in an environment, the method comprising:—providing a sensing layer adapted to sense the specific chemical substance;—providing a substrate layer, the substrate layer comprising a single-use wireless transmitter;—attaching the sensing layer to the substrate layer so as to form a sensing module;—detecting the amount of the specific chemical substance in the environment by means of the sensing layer;—if the amount of the specific chemical substance is above or below a first threshold, sending data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance to a receiving device using the wireless transmitter. The invention also relates to a sensing module and a kit to measure the specific chemical substance.

Claims

1. A method to detect a specific chemical substance in an environment, the method comprising: providing a sensing layer adapted to sense the specific chemical substance; providing a substrate layer, the substrate layer comprising a single-use wireless transmitter designed to be used only once and a non-rechargeable energy storage unit electrically connectable to the wireless transmitter and adapted to contain an amount of energy sufficient to allow a single activation of the wireless transmitter; attaching the sensing layer to the substrate layer so as to form a sensing module; sensing the amount of the specific chemical substance in the environment by means of the sensing layer; and if the amount of the specific chemical substance is above or below a first threshold, sending data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance to a receiving device using the wireless transmitter.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of: discarding the sensing module after sending the data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance for the first time.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of: setting a maximum life span of the sensing module as the earliest of: the expiry of a predetermined time interval; sending the data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance for the first time.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising: providing the sensing module with an energy source.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing a substrate layer includes: providing a flexible substrate layer.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising the step of: generating energy by mechanical deformation of the flexible substrate layer in order to activate the wireless transmitter.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing a sensing layers includes: covering the sensing layer with a protective layer; and wherein the method includes: removing the protective layer from the sensing layer before the step of sensing the specific chemical substance in the environment.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising: setting a first threshold of the specific chemical substance; or modify a pre-set first threshold of the specific chemical substance in the sensing layer.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising: providing the wireless transmitter with a non-rechargeable energy storage unit; at least partially depleting the non-rechargeable energy storage unit by sending data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance to the receiving device using the wireless transmitter.

10. The method according to claim 1, including: generating a warning signal when the data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance are received by the receiving device.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising: providing a set of sensing layers, each sensing layer of the set adapted to sense a specific chemical substance different from the specific chemical substance sensed by another sensing layer of the set; selecting a predetermined specific chemical substance to be sensed; selecting from the set of sensing layers, a sensing layer adapted to sense the selected chemical substance.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising: selecting at least two sensing layers from the set of sensing layers; attaching the at least two sensing layers to the same substrate layer.

13. A sensing module for detecting a specific chemical substance in an environment, comprising: a sensing layer adapted to sense the specific chemical substance; a substrate layer attached to the sensing layer, the substrate layer comprising: a wireless transmitter designed to be used only once; a non-rechargeable energy storage unit electrically connectable to the wireless transmitter and adapted to contain an amount of energy sufficient to allow a single activation of the wireless transmitter; the sensing module also comprising a switch adapted to activate the wireless transmitter by connecting it to the non-rechargeable energy storage unit if the amount of the specific chemical substance sensed by the sensing layer is above or below a first threshold, so that the wireless transmitter sends data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance.

14. A kit for detecting chemical substance in an environment, comprising: a set of sensing layers attached to a common base, each sensing layer of the set adapted to sense a specific chemical substance; a substrate layer, the substrate layer being adapted to be attached to at least one of the sensing layers of the set so as to form a sensing module, the substrate layer comprising: a wireless transmitter designed to be used only once; a non-rechargeable energy storage unit electrically connectable to the wireless transmitter and adapted to contain an amount of energy sufficient to allow a single activation of the wireless transmitter; the sensing module also comprising a switch adapted to activate the wireless transmitter by connecting it to the non-rechargeable energy storage unit if the amount of the specific chemical substance sensed by the sensing layer is above or below a first threshold, so that the wireless transmitter sends data representative of the sensed specific chemical substance; and a receiving device adapted to receive the data sent by the wireless transmitter.

15. The sensing module according to claim 13, wherein the substrate layer comprises an activation layer including the wireless transmitter, and an energy layer comprising the non-rechargeable energy storage unit, the activation layer and energy layer being attached one to the other and electrically connected.

16. The kit according to claim 14, wherein the substrate layer comprises an activation layer including the wireless transmitter, and an energy layer comprising the non-rechargeable energy storage unit, the activation layer and energy layer being attached one to the other and electrically connected.

Description

[0140] Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0141] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a possible use of the sensing module of the invention;

[0142] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the sensing module of the invention in a partially disassembled configuration;

[0143] FIG. 3 is a more detailed view of the sensing module of FIG. 3;

[0144] FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of the sensing module of FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0145] FIG. 5 is a top view of a different portion of the sensing module of FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0146] FIG. 6 is a top view of a different embodiment of a sensing module of the invention;

[0147] FIG. 7 is a top view of the sensing module of FIG. 6 in a different configuration;

[0148] FIG. 8 is a top view of the sensing module of FIGS. 6 and 7 operating according to the method of the invention; and

[0149] FIG. 9 is a kit realized according to the invention.

[0150] A sensing module to detect the presence of a chemical substance in an environment in depicted in FIG. 1 and indicated with 1. The sensing module 1 may be used for check-up quality of environmental air indoor and outdoor around a user 2 in a flexible manner.

[0151] For that purpose, the sensing module 1 can be stick on any item, surface or object. The sticking may take place by an adhesive bond, Velcro or Blu-Tack fasteners or others (not depicted in the drawings). The sensing module include a wireless transmitter 3. Preferably the sensing module 1 is integrated into a personal area network (PAN). By the PAN or any other network, the sensing module 1 may be connected to a smart device 4 like a smartphone, smartwatch or smart air purifier which can alert the user 2, if the chemical substance is present in the surrounding of the sensing module, or it is present above or below a pre-set threshold.

[0152] The sensing module 1 is a single-use sensing module 1 as detailed below.

[0153] With now reference to FIG. 2, the sensing module 1 comprises a substrate layer 200 and at least one sensing layer 300. The substrate layer 200 and the sensing layer 300 are sheet-like and preferably have the same dimensions and geometrical shape. Preferably, on a top view, the substrate layer 200 and the sensing layer 300 are substantially rectangular. Preferably, the substrate layer 200 and the sensing layer 300 are attached to each other, so that the substrate layer adheres on top of the substrate layer, or vice-versa. Preferably, their dimensions are 40 millimetres×40 millimetres×3 millimetres, where the smallest dimension is their thickness.

[0154] The substrate layer 200 may include an adhesive layer (not depicted in the drawings) on one of its surfaces, the surface opposite to the one attached to the sensing layer 300, to adhere to any item, surface or object. The sensing layer 300 may also include an adhesive layer on one of its surfaces, to adhere to the substrate layer 200. The connection between substrate layer 200 and sensing layer 300 is such that an electrically conductive connection is established between the two layers.

[0155] As visible in FIG. 2 where the two layers 200, 300 forming the sensing module 1 are detached from each other for clarity purposes, both the sensing layer 300 and substrate layer 200 includes a “rounded” corner 201 and a “cut” corner 301 which predefine in which manner the sensing layer and the substrate layer have to be stick together. By matching the same corners 201 and 301 in both layers 200, 300, the user can get sure to attach the substrate layer 200 and the sensing layer 300 accurately together.

[0156] With now reference to FIG. 3, the substrate layer 200 comprises an activation layer 210 and an energy layer 220. The activation layer 210 and the energy layer 220 are attached to each other in such a way that an electrical connection between the two layers 210, 220 is present. The activation layer 210 and energy layer 220 are one on top of the other.

[0157] Activation layer 210 and energy layer 220 are depicted in more detail in FIG. 4. The activation layer 210 comprises a flexible plastic substrate 211. On the flexible plastic substrate 211, the wireless transmitter 3 is formed. The wireless transmitter 3 may include a transponder 212. The transponder comprises a coupling antenna 212a and a transponder chip 212b. The transponder 212 is connected via wires 214 to a switch 215.

[0158] The energy layer 220 comprises an energy source. The energy source includes a piezoelectric nanocomposite layer 222. The piezoelectric nanocomposite layer 222 may be formed by a layer made of composite of BaTiO.sub.3, ZnO, MoS.sub.2 or WSe.sub.2 located between two flexible metal-coated plastic substrates 221. By this configuration, the energy layer 220 is able to generate electrical energy from mechanical deformation. In the process of sticking the sensing module 1 on any item, surface or object, the energy module 1, and in turn the energy layer 220, is possibly bent and electric energy can be generated. In order to store the energy generated by the mechanical deformation, the energy layer 220 further comprises a flexible capacitor 223. The flexible capacitor 223 preferably comprises a layer of nylon films or polyethene naphthalate substrates with ZrO.sub.2 as a dielectric layer. Thereby, the energy layer 220 can generally generate an output of about 1.5-2 Volts and 150-250 nanoAmperes.

[0159] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the sensing layer 300 includes a transparent and flexible plastic substrate 310 and a sensor 320 adapted to measure or detect a chemical substance. The sensor 320 is generally applied to the substrate 310 by ink printing, sputtering or vapour disposition. Preferably, several sensors 320 may be applied to the substrate 310 depending on the given amount of space on the sensing layer 300.

[0160] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, the sensing module 1 comprises several sensing layers 300 attached to the same substrate layer 200. Preferably, each sensing layer 300 is adapted to sense a different chemical substance. In the depicted embodiment, the substrate layer 200 may include four sensing layers 300. For example, the sensing layers 300 may be attached one on top of the other, but each sensing layer 300 may include a cut-out 323 in the substrate 310, to ensure that the sensors 320 of the layers underneath do not get covered by the substrate 310 of the overlapping sensing layers 300 and as a result all sensors 320 can measure and monitor different chemical substances properly. For example in FIG. 6, four different sensing layers 300 may be present, which can detect four different chemical substances, such as four different pollutants.

[0161] Preferably, to each sensor 320 a threshold is associated. The threshold refers to the measured chemical substance by the sensor.

[0162] The sensors 320 present in the sensing layer 300 may be for example carbon nanotube sensors or metal oxide sensors. Sensors for different chemical substances can also be applied to the same substrate 310 of the same sensing layer 300, whereby each individual sensor can be responsible for a specific pollutant and a corresponding threshold level.

[0163] The sensors 320 are electrically interconnected, for example by an OR-circuit, with the switch 215 of the substrate layer 200 and a contact area 330 of the sensing layer 300.

[0164] Other sensors (not depicted in the drawings) may be located on the substrate 310 of the sensing layer 300, like biosensors or sensors responsive to UV light, temperature, provided that integration into the flexible plastic substrate 310 is given.

[0165] As shown in FIG. 7, the sensors 320 of the sensing layer 300 may be sealed by a protective film 350. Thereby, sensors 320 may be protected by the protective film 350.

[0166] Furthermore, when the sensors 320 are covered by the protective film 350, measurements of the chemical substance are not possible. Thus, the sensing module 1 is secured from unintended measuring and may only monitor the chemical substance(s) when the protective film 350 is removed.

[0167] Each sensing layer 300 may include a QR code 340 (see FIGS. 6 and 8), which may for example be imprinted on the protective film 350. Information of the specifications of the sensors 320 and the type of chemical substance detected by the sensors may be included in the QR code 340. In an alternative embodiment, the QR code 340 is imprinted on another scannable area of the sensing module 1.

[0168] The sensing module 1 may be formed using a kit 100, as depicted in FIG. 9.

[0169] The kit 100 may include a sticker set 110 which includes on the same substrate 120 a plurality of sensing layers 300. The sticker set, in the same substrate 120, also comprises a plurality of substrate layers 200. As shown in FIG. 9, all layers 200,300 are thereby stuck on substrate 120, for example bonding paper.

[0170] Each sensing layer 300 preferably includes a QR code 340 to indicate the chemical substance that is adapted to sense. A user may create their individual sensing module 1 adapted to their specific situation.

[0171] In that way, a user may remove one or more chosen sensing layers 300 and stick them on top of a base layer 200, also removed from the substrate 120. Several sensing layers 300 can be stuck one above the other on top of a substrate layer 200. In order to select the desired sensing layers 300 from the sticker set 110, the user may scan the QR codes 340 to detect the desired sensors 320 for the chemical substance of interest.

[0172] A sensing module 1 created from the kit 100 including four different sensing layers 300 is represented in FIG. 8.

[0173] The functioning of the sensing module 1 is as follows.

[0174] The sensing module 1 is either already provided, or it is created by the user by selecting the suitable sensing layers 300 from the kit 100. The selected sensing layers 300 are then attached to the substrate layer 200.

[0175] In order to activate the sensor module 1, the protective film 350 is removed.

[0176] The sensor module 1 may need to be configured. The configuration may be performed using the smart device 4 which read the QR code 340. The smart device may for example set the threshold for each sensor 320 present in the sensing module 1.

[0177] After the configuration of the sensing module 1, a user may choose any environment where they want to monitor the air in order to detect the presence of certain chemical substance (those measured by the selected sensing layers) and stick the sensor module 1 on any item, surface or object. The smart device 4 is adapted to receive a signal 6 (depicted schematically in FIGS. 1 and 8) sent by the sensing module 1.

[0178] By pulling off the protective film 350, the sensing module 1 is activated and the sensors 320 start measuring the presence and amount of the selected chemical substances. If at a certain point in time a certain chemical substance, such as a pollutant, is detected to be in an amount exceeding the threshold set by the smart device 4, an alerting signal 6 is sent by the sensing module 1 to the smart device 4 of the user. This is schematically depicted in FIGS. 8 and 1. In FIG. 8, several smart devices 4 are depicted, such as a smart watch, smartphone or loudspeaker.

[0179] In order to send the signal 6 to the smart device 4, the transmitter 3 is used. When the selected threshold is reached for any chemical substance as measured by the sensor 320, the switch 215 closes. When the switch 215 is closed, the energy layer 220 feeds the activation layer 210 with the energy stored in the capacitor 223 which has been previously charged by the energy source. The energy coming from the capacitor 223 is enough to activate the antenna 212a of the transponder 212 and thus to send the alerting signal 6.

[0180] Thereby, the sensing module 1 does not dependent on any external power supply, does not have to be charged and can, therefore, be used in a more flexible manner.

[0181] Due to the fact that the capacitor 223 is not rechargeable, the sensing module 1, after the signal has been sent by the antenna 212a, is not reusable. The sensing module is thus preferably discarded. The sensing module 1 is indeed single use and can be used up to, and including, the moment in which the signal is sent to the smart device 4.

[0182] As the effects and impacts of allergic and respiratory reactions vary from person to person, the threshold level of a monitored air pollutant can be adapted by the user to his specific requirements via the connected smart device. Thereby the sensing module is set up for single-use and has fulfilled its function after sending an alerting signal to a user if a harmful (for the user) chemical substance is detected. As a result, users can avoid forthcoming allergic reactions or further health consequences of air pollution.

[0183] For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A±10 percent of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.