Hardware Podcasts

175. Is Your Drinking Water Safe? This Sensor Has The Answer

The Next Byte Podcast · 21 May 2024 · 21m

What this episode covers

Daniel and Forbode discuss a new sensor developed by researchers at MIT and Nanyang Technological University that detects lead in drinking water at concentrations as low as one part per billion. The device uses a photonic chip with crown ether molecules to bind lead ions, offering high accuracy and stability across different water types, unlike expensive lab tests or binary home kits. The hosts highlight the global health crisis of lead contamination, noting that 240 million people are affected, and explain how this technology could democratize water testing for households and industrial monitoring.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Mouser Electronics, MIT, Nanyang Technological University
Products
EWG Tapwater Database

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