Sensing system and method for detection of analytes

Abstract

A sensor device comprises at least one sensing unit and a measurement unit. The sensing unit comprises a surface by which the sensing unit is exposed to a media when the sensor device is in use, the surface carrying one or more carbohydrate-based compositions immobilized thereon, the carbohydrate-based composition comprises one or more of: oxidized cellulose, nano-cellulose, regenerated cellulose, crystalline cellulose, or amorphous cellulose, the sensing unit having one or more parameters changeable in response to binding between the carbohydrate-based composition and one or more carbohydrate binding modules (CBM) of CBM-containing analyte(s) in the media. The measurement unit configured and operable to monitor one or more of the parameter(s) of the sensing unit, and upon detecting a change in one of the one or more parameter(s) generating sensing data indicative of the change, thereby enabling detection of the one or more CBM-containing analytes in the media.

1 . A sensor device for use in specific identification of one or more analyte(s) in a media, the sensor device comprising:
 at least one sensing unit comprising a sensing surface by which the sensing unit is exposed to the media when the sensor device is in use, said sensing surface carrying one or more carbohydrate-based compositions immobilized thereon, the sensing unit having one or more of parameters thereof changeable in response to binding between said carbohydrate-based composition and one or more carbohydrate binding modules (CBM) of (CBM)-containing analyte(s) in the media based on the CBM domain, the one or more parameters being one or more of the following: electromagnetic radiation reflectance, electromagnetic radiation absorbance, or electromagnetic radiation emittance of one or more parts of said sensing surface of the sensing unit; and   a measurement unit configured and operable to monitor one or more of said parameter(s) of the sensing unit, the measurement unit comprises a radiation source configured to irradiate said one or more parts of the sensing surface by a source electromagnetic radiation and a radiation detector configured to detect a corresponding response electromagnetic radiation reflected or emitted by the one or more parts of said sensing unit, and upon detecting a change in at least one of the one or more parameter(s), the measurement unit generates sensing data indicative of the change, thereby enabling the specific identification of the one or more CBM-containing analytes in the media.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said radiation source and detector are configured and operable in a predetermined frequency range such that said source radiation and response radiation are in one of the following frequency ranges: infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), or visible light (VL). 
     
     
         3 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said one or more parts of the sensing surface comprise carbon nanotube structure(s) that carry(ies) the one or more carbohydrate-based compositions immobilized thereon, wherein said changeable parameter(s) of the sensing unit is the electromagnetic radiation emittance of one or more parts of said carbon nanotube structure(s) in response to the source electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor device according to  claim 3 , wherein said carbon nanotube structure(s) comprise single-wall carbon nanotube. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said carbohydrate-based composition comprises one or more of the following: oxidized cellulose, nano-cellulose, regenerated cellulose, crystalline cellulose, or amorphous cellulose. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , being configured and operable to communicate with an analyzer unit to convey said sensing data thereto, said analyzer unit being configured and operable to receive and analyze said sensing data, and generate output data indicative of said specific identification of the one or more CBM-containing analytes in the media. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor device according to  claim 6 , wherein said sensor device comprises said analyzer unit. 
     
     
         8 . The sensor device according to  claim 6 , wherein said analyzer unit is configured and operable to access a database comprising data about a plurality of CBM-containing analytes, the data comprising, for each CBM-containing analyte, an associated signature change of the one or more changeable parameters of the sensing unit, and utilize the data in the database to thereby generate the output data indicative of said specific identification of the one or more CBM-containing analyte(s) in the media. 
     
     
         9 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , being configured and operable, when in use, to expose said sensing unit to the media comprising one or more of the following foods: milk, eggs, soy, nuts, peanuts, sesame, wheat, celery, fish, or shellfish. 
     
     
         10 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said one or more CBM-containing analyte(s) comprise(s) one or more allergens. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sensing units comprising sensing units carrying different kinds or amounts of the carbohydrate-based compositions immobilized thereon to be exposed to same media, such that value of one or more of the one or more changeable parameter(s) of the different sensing units is changed differently in response to said binding between said carbohydrate-based composition and the one or more carbohydrate binding modules of the (CBM)-containing analyte(s) in the media. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor device according to  claim 11 , further comprising an analyzer unit configured and operable to receive the sensing data from each of said plurality of sensing units, and upon detecting a corresponding plurality of changes of the one or more changeable parameter(s) of the sensing units, generating a corresponding plurality of output data indicative of specific identification of the one or more CBM-containing analyte(s) in the media. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said sensing unit is disposable. 
     
     
         14 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more feeding mechanisms configured and operable for feeding a sample of the media towards said sensing unit, feeding washing agent media that removes materials that did not bind to the immobilized carbohydrate-based composition, and feeding a regeneration agent that removes materials that have bound to the immobilized carbohydrate-based composition, to thereby prepare the sensing unit for another detection cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The sensor device according to  claim 14 , wherein said feeding mechanism comprises at least one of the following: a heating utility, an ultrasonic utility, or a ventilation utility. 
     
     
         16 . The sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said sensing unit is configured and operable to be exposed to said media being in gas or liquid phase. 
     
     
         17 . An analyte detection system being part of or connected to a communication network, the system comprising:
 one or more sensor devices each being configured as the sensor device of  claim 1 ,   an input utility configured and operable for independently receiving, via the communication network, one or more input data pieces including sensing data from the one or more sensor devices;   a processor utility configured and operable for analyzing the input data pieces, and determining for each of the input data pieces whether the respective sensing data is indicative of the interaction of the sensor device with a media containing analyte, said analyzing comprising: for the sensing data piece being indicative of a change in one or more of the changeable parameters of the sensor device, determining whether said change corresponds to a condition of the media classifying it as analyte-containing media, said determining comprising accessing database comprising data about a plurality of analytes comprising, for each analyte, an associated signature change(s) of the one or more parameters of the sensor device and the identification data of the sensor device; and   an output utility configured and operable for generating output data indicative of the analyte, to be transmitted via the network to a user of the respective sensor device.