Cell Phones: MP3 Players, Cameras...Chemical Detectors?
Monday, April 12, 2010 - 12:28
in Mathematics & Economics
On top of the numerous functions our cell phones perform, the Department of Homeland Security says they may one day also protect us from toxic chemicals. In the coming years, Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate (S&T)'s Cell-All aims to equip cell phones with a sensor capable of detecting deadly chemicals. A chip costing less than a dollar is embedded in a cell phone and programmed to either alert the cell phone carrier to the presence of toxic chemicals in the air, and/or a central station that can monitor how many alerts in an area are being received. One might be a false positive. Hundreds might indicate the need for evacuation. read more