NASA creates iPhone-based chemical sensor

A NASA scientist has created a 30-pin accessory that allows an iPhone or iPod touch to be used as a chemical sensor. Jing Li, a physical scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center, along with other researchers in the Cell-All program in the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, built the postage stamp-sized device, which packs 16 nanosensors that allow for detection and identification of low concentrations airborne ammonia, chlorine gas, and methane. Connected to an iPhone or iPod touch’s Dock port and used with a special app, the system can send detection data to another device over a cellular or Wi-Fi network. It is unknown whether the administration has plans for the system outside of proof-of-concept testing. [via Engadget]