The air we breathe is critical to supporting life functions and yet it is colorless, odorless, tasteless - and constantly changing. Our bodies’ reaction to the quality of the air we breathe depends on what we are exposed to, the degree of exposure, the status of our health and our genetic make-up.

Air quality is dynamic; when it changes even slightly, it can have a dramatic effect on health. An athlete who exercises outdoors on a smoggy summer day, for example, is exposed to a markedly increased “toxic load” compared to someone exercising indoors in a climate-controlled space.

Poor air quality has been reported to result in premature death, heart-and breathing-related hospital admissions, worsening of asthma and other chronic conditions. In spike of all this, the quality of the air we breathe throughout our day–to-day activities remains to a large degree a mystery.

Micro Plasma Technologies – A New Era in Air Quality Measurement With the advent of micro electronics technology (used in cell phone and digital cameras design), the world of electronics is rapidly evolving.

A recent development in the scientific field of micro optical electronics has led researchers to explore the development of a micro-plasma based gas analysis device for air quality detection.

Optomem Sensors Inc, is taking advantage of this breakthrough technology and adopting it into life-saving products that measure air quality in industrial applications, indoor air quality and medical analysis. Whether you’re stuck in a traffic jam inhaling exhaust toxins, entering a sick building with flaws in ventilation or bicycling through the city, the level of air quality you’re breathing can be monitored, to warn you of potentially harmful levels of gases such as VOCs, CO2, NO2 and others.

The Science Behind Optomem Sensors

Plasma technology has been used to energize gas to emit light for years, this is the same approach used in flat screen televisions and neon display signs. Every gas compound when excited will emit a light unique to its’ chemical make-up, comparable to a fingerprint.

Optomem harnesses this science to develop a micro device that will capture the characteristic wavelength emission emitted by an energized gas sample to identify its composition.

The technology will offer real-time detection of a variety of potentially harmful air pollutants.

The small size of the sensor makes it possible to embed the sensor chip into electronic devices such as cell phones, thermostats and automobiles to provide information about the air we breathe.

“We’re excited about launching this important technology into the marketplace,” Antonio Liberatore, Director of Business Development for Optomem Sensors.

Optomem is a leader in the development of micro optical electronic technologies for a variety of end use applications.