Volatile organic compound transport

Abstract

An apparatus may include a lower chamber to contain a culture that emits volatile organic compounds, an upper chamber, a first sensor within the upper chamber, a second sensor within the upper chamber in a transport selector. The second sensor may be different than the first sensor so as to sense volatile organic compounds differently than the first sensor. The transport selector is to transport a selected portion of the volatile organic compounds emitted from the lower chamber to the first sensor and a second portion of the volatile organic compounds emitted from the lower chamber to the second sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a lower chamber to contain a culture that emits volatile organic compounds;   an upper chamber;   a first sensor within the upper chamber;   a second sensor within the upper chamber, the second sensor being different than the first sensor so as to sense volatile organic compounds differently than the first sensor; and   a transport selector to transport a selected portion of the volatile organic compounds emitted from the lower chamber to the first sensor and a second portion of the volatile organic compounds emitted from the lower chamber to the second sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor have different sensing resolutions. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor have different abilities to sense different characteristics of a volatile organic compound. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transport selector is to concurrently transport the first portion and the second portion to the first sensor and the second sensor, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is to adjust a rate at which the first portion is transported to the first sensor based upon a sensed rate at which the first portion is being received at the first sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lower chamber continuously extends, without interruption, across and below the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transport selector is to create a first thermal gradient between the lower chamber and the first sensor and is to create a second remote gradient, different than the first thermal gradient, between the lower chamber and the second sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the transport selector comprises a heater and a cooling device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transport selector is to create a first electrical field between the lower chamber and the first sensor is to create a second electrical field, different than the first electrical field, between the lower chamber and the second sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transport selector is to sequentially transport the first portion and the second portion to the first sensor and the second sensor, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a controller to output control signals controlling timing at which the first portion is transported to the first sensor and at which the second portion is transported to the second sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transport selector comprises a membrane comprising:
 a first portion sandwiched between the lower chamber and the first sensor, the first portion having a first thickness; and   a second portion sandwiched between the lower chamber and the second sensor, the second portion having a second thickness different than the first thickness.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a controller to adjustably control a first rate at which the first portion is transported to the first sensor and to adjustably control a second rate at which the second portion is transported to the second sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a first type of volatile organic compounds and wherein the second portion comprises a second type of volatile organic compounds different than the first type. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 a lower chamber to contain a culture that emits volatile organic compounds of a first type and of a second type;   an upper chamber;   a sensor within the upper chamber;   a transport selector to transport the first type of volatile organic compounds to the sensor at a first rate, wherein the transport selector is to impede or not accelerate transport of the second type of volatile organic compounds to the sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising a second sensor within the upper chamber, wherein the transport selector is to transport, concurrent with the transport of the first type of volatile organic compounds to the sensor, a second type of volatile organic compounds, different than the first type, to the second sensor, such that transport of the second type of volatile organic compounds is biased towards the second sensor as compared to the sensor. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 providing a culture in a lower chamber, the culture emitting volatile organic compounds;   accelerating transport of a first portion of the volatile organic compounds to a first sensor in an upper chamber above the lower chamber;   accelerating transport of a second portion of the volatile organic compounds to a second sensor in the upper chamber;   sensing the first portion with the first sensor; and   sensing the second portion with a second sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the transport of the first portion of the volatile organic compounds to the first sensor and the transport of the second portion of the volatile organic compounds to the second sensor are concurrent. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the transport of the first portion of the volatile organic compounds to the first sensor and the transport of the second portion of the volatile organic compounds to the second sensor are sequential. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 determining a reception rate at which the first portion of the volatile organic compounds are being received at the first sensor; and 
 adjusting an acceleration rate at which the first portion is transported to the first sensor based upon the determined reception rate.