Gas Mask Sensor

Reported October 2005

PITTSBURGH (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Firefighters put their lives on the line everyday protecting us from harm. Now, a new device helps protect them.

A fire that reduces a building to a pile of rubble can be seen for miles. Firefighter Al Hernandez knows it is a risky job, "We knew there was going to be some burning materials that were going to produce some really toxic gases."

Breathing respirators protect against toxic gases, and cartridges on the respirator filter the air. Over time, the cartridges need to be changed, and without knowing it users could be inhaling deadly gases.

Gary Fedder, Ph.D., an electrical engineer from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh says, "They currently have no good mechanism for knowing when their carbon cartridges in their respirators are spent."

Electrical engineering student Sarah Bedair developed a microscopic device that detects harmful chemicals. Bedair, an electrical engineering Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University, says, "It will tell us what's in the air around. Ultimately, you'll know what you're being exposed to."

Here's how it works: The tiny sensor fits inside the cartridge. Back at the fire station, the speed of the wires on the sensor is checked. If the wires have slowed down -- that's a warning the cartridge needs to be changed before the next fire. "It can save long-term health of first responders," Fedder says. "It's going to be another safety net for them. They've got plenty to worry about in a crisis."

Researchers are still working on perfecting the tiny sensor, but once available the disposable device will cost about $1.00.

Click here to Go Inside This Science or contact:

ECE Department
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 268-8443

To learn more about the science of engineering, please contact:

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
1828 L Street, N.W., Suite 1202
Washington, D.C. 20036-5104
(202) 785-0017
http://www.ieee.org
ieeeusa@ieee.org




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