Nanosensors for health care

Abstract The chapter presents an overview of the major trends in the development of nanosensor technology with focus on real-time point-of-care and at-home applications for health care. The miniaturization of traditional bioanalytical methods, such as immunoassay, chromatography, and spectroscopy, by integration of microfluidics, nanosensors, and microelectronics in lab-on-a-chip format is reviewed. The biosensors, based on nanoparticles and nanoparticles-mediated cantilevers and nanocomposite conducting polymers having aptamers as bioanalyte receptors, are seen to be the major enablers for the on-chip integration and development of real-time disease diagnostic tools. The noninvasive health monitoring by breath analysis based on micro–gas chromatography and electronic nose principles employing nanomechanical sensors is seen to be rolling out soon for point-of-care diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In long term the multiple sensor data fusion and the multiple source information fusion techniques are likely to be focused for enhancing the accuracy and reliability of health-monitoring systems.