Scientists turn cellphone into a chemical detector
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The handheld spectrometer, (L), attaches the a cellphone and is about the same size -- allowing for easy, and affordable, use in the field, according to researchers. Photo by Peter Rentzepis/Texas A&M
May 4 (UPI) -- Scientists have trained a cellphone camera to perform spectroscopy, turning the handheld device into a chemical detector, capable of identifying drugs, biological molecules and pathogens, according to a study published Tuesday in the Review of Scientific Instruments.
The device could be used for a variety of field applications, like surveying environmental contamination sites, screening for tainted food or diagnosing diseased crops, according to the researchers, from Texas A&M University.