Get exclusive breakthroughs on sensors in IoT, energy, healthcare, and more, delivered straight to your inbox.
"IEEE Sensors Alert" is a new service of the IEEE Sensors Council. Started as one of its new initiatives, this weekly digest publishes teasers and condensed versions of our journal papers in layperson's language.
Articles Posted in the Month (January 2026)
Two-Electrode Screen-Printed pH Sensors for Monitoring Soil and Other Growing Media
Author: Whiting Gregory, Arias Ana, Atreya Madhur, Barba Juan Pablo Cisneros, Baumbauer Carol L., Bihar Eloise, Bruno Nicholas, Crichton Catherine A., Goodrich Payton J., Lahann Lucas, Pister Kris, Silver Whendee L., Strand Elliot J., Yuan Titan
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Gregory L. Whiting (Author)
Monitoring the pH of growing media is essential for optimizing agricultural practices and maintaining both crop and environmental health. This study introduces a screen-printed pH sensor featuring a simplified two-electrode design consisting of an Alizarin working electrode and stabilizing Nafion/salt membranes. The design demonstrated stable, real-time pH measurements. It integrates affordable readout electronics, making it a reliable approach for high-density pH monitoring in environmental and agricultural applications.
Photo-Assisted Selective and Reversible Acetone Sensors Based on 2-D MoSe₂ Nanoflakes
Author: Ray S. K., Das Saranya, Das Shreyasi
Published in: EEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Saranya Das (Author)
Driven by industrial growth and urbanization, research in volatile organic compounds (VOC) sensing has gained importance for environmental and medical applications. This study introduces a two-dimensional molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2)-based chemiresistor for acetone detection at room temperature, featuring high selectivity, low detection limit, and UV-light-enhanced recovery. Its simple design and low-cost fabrication make it promising for real-time VOC sensing applications.
Thermal Fault Detection of High-Speed Direct-Driven Blower Components Using Thermal-Visible Image Fusion and Semantic Segmentation
Author: Chu Ning, Ali Mohammad-Djafari, Cai Caifang, Li Li, Sun Zekun, Zhang Shanqing
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 12, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Payal Savani
Thermal fault detection is crucial for maintaining industrial blowers, as high-speed rotation can lead to overheating and performance loss. The proposed system combines thermal infrared and visible images using an Improved Diffusion-Based Fusion (IDF) model. A lightweight Convolutional Cross-Attention Encoder Network (CCAE-Net) analyzes these images, segmenting components and identifying abnormal temperature zones. This method enables accurate, real-time monitoring, enhancing the reliability, efficiency, and safety of high-speed direct-driven blowers.
Published in: EEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Ritu Poonia (Author)
Mercury exposure poses a threat to both human health and the environment, necessitating its strict monitoring. This work introduces a dual-metal-gate AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) sensor for mercury ion detection. The device features an extended electrode functionalized with thioglycolic acid for mercury detection and a quasi-reference electrode enabling gate biasing. The design improves sensitivity, selectivity, and stability while validating trace-level mercury detection through quantification analysis, offering a compact solution for environmental monitoring.
Ultralow-Cost and Selective Water-Based Colorimetric Ink for Indoor CO₂ Monitoring
Author: Maria González-Gómez, Ismael Benito-Altamirano, Joan Daniel Prades, Olga Casals, Cristian Fàbrega
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Maria González-Gómez (Author)
Indoor air quality (IAQ) control is increasingly recognized as crucial for human health. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels reflect co-exhaled pathogens and serve as an indicator of air quality. This work presents low-cost, printable CO₂ sensors using a novel water colorimetric ink. Operating within the relevant 150-1500 ppm range, they remain stable and selective even under 10-70% humidity. Their excellent specificity, repeatability, and affordability make them suitable for real-world applications.
Ethylenediamine-Coupled Lysine-Modified Pencil Graphite Electrode for the Quantification of Indigo Carmine
Author: R Rejithamol, Sadanandan Sandhya, C Devu, P J Sreelekshmi, V Devika
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: R. Rejithamol (Author)
The widespread use of synthetic food colors has raised concerns about public health safety and the need for effective detection methods. In this study, a novel compound, ethylenediamine-coupled lysine (EDAK), was used to modify a pencil graphite electrode (PGE) through electropolymerisation for the detection of indigo carmine. The developed sensor exhibited high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, and a low detection limit, offering a cost-effective and reliable option for food safety monitoring.
A Novel Anti-Relaxation Material Applied in Miniaturized Atomic Spin Gyroscope
Author: Li Shun, Bi Zhangzhe, Lin Longbin, Wu Yunong, Xu Fangqi, Zhang Haifeng
Published in: EEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Saurabh Dubey
A novel perfluorododecyltrichlorosilane (PDTS) anti-relaxation coating enhances miniaturized atomic spin gyroscopes (NMRGs) by reducing spin relaxation in tiny vapor cells. Offering excellent thermal stability, strong adhesion, and ultralow surface energy, PDTS extends transverse relaxation time to 28.8 s, surpassing traditional methods. Validated via spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, it improves spin coherence, sensitivity and reliability. Ideal for UAV navigation and GPS-denied environments, it enables next-generation compact gyroscopes with superior performance.
Radio Frequency Characterization of Gold Nanoparticles With 3-D Printed U-Cavity Sensor
Author: Kattel Bibek, Hutchcraft Winn Elliott, Syed Azeemuddin, Tanner Eden E. L., Vashisth Priyavrat
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 12, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Bibek Kattel (Author)
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have diverse applications in medicine, electronics, optical devices, sensors, and sensing technologies. Hence, the development of advanced characterization technology to determine its potential toxicity is essential. This paper introduces a novel 3D-printed U-cavity sensor for radio frequency (RF) characterization of gold nanoparticles based on three different geometric shapes. Each nanoparticle's shape exhibited a unique RF spectral signature, enabling the accurate characterization of the gold nanoparticles.
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 12, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Kamalesh Tripathy
Cinnamic acid (CA) has multiple benefits, including its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancer properties. However, its unregulated usage has harmful effects. This paper introduces a novel molecularly imprinted polymer-based graphite electrode developed for the detection and quantification of CA in black tea and cinnamon powder. Using differential pulse voltammetry, it shows a wide linear range (1–1000 µM) and a low detection limit (8.2 nM), exhibiting excellent repeatability and stability.
Author: Yang Xh, Gao Shuai, Ge Zhongxuan., Jones Adam, Li Kang, Liu Zhihai, Ma Minghua., Sivanathan Sivagunalan, Teng Pingping, Tian Fengjun, Wang Shengjia, Wen Xingyue., Zhang Bo, Zhang Yang, Zhang Yu, Zhu Zheng
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Diabetes management usually involves frequent checks of blood glucose levels. This study proposes an early prototype of a skin-friendly photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing patch for noninvasive glucose monitoring. The patch uses a tiny optical fiber coated with specialized materials and an enzyme that reacts only with glucose. It delivers fast and accurate readings, even at very low glucose levels, making it a promising tool for painless, real-time health monitoring.
Design and Implementation of a System to Control Bioreceptor Layer Formation on Au Electrodes
Author: Przadka Marcin Paweł, Pala Katarzyna, Wojcieszak Damian
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Payal Savani
In electrochemical biosensors, electrodes convert biochemical reactions into accurate electrical signals. Their surface quality and preparation directly influence the sensor's accuracy. This study introduces an in-situ quality control system to monitor bioreceptor layer formation on gold electrodes in aquaculture biosensors. By integrating real-time measurements of the wetting angle and electrochemical impedance, the system detects defects early, ensures consistent electrode performance, improves reproducibility, and enables efficient, automated production of biosensors.
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Alessandra Fusco (Author)
Monitoring and tracking the breathing rate (BR) accurately is vital for healthcare applications. However, current contactless methods are often restrictive and face challenges in real-life scenarios. This study presents a deep learning approach that uses frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar to estimate breathing rates across multiple ranges. The method achieves high accuracy with minimal memory requirements, making it suitable for reliable, accurate, and cost-effective monitoring in everyday environments.
Braille Recognition Based on a Dual-Mode Tactile Sensor With Piezoresistive and Piezoelectric Properties by the CNN-ResNet-BiLSTM Fusion Model
Author: Wang Feilu, Hu Anyang, Liu Mengru, Song Yang, Zhu Jinggen
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 9, May 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Saurabh Dubey
Braille is a tactile writing system to assist visually impaired individuals in reading and writing. This research presents a micropyramid-structured dual-mode tactile sensor that combines piezoresistive and piezoelectric properties to capture static and dynamic pressures for Braille Recognition. A CNN-ResNet-BiLSTM fusion model analyzes the sensor data and extracts spatiotemporal features to identify Braille characters accurately and improve tactile information processing. This compact, robust system enables reliable and real-time Braille recognition.
Highly Sensitive Enzyme-Modified Field Effect Transistor Based Biosensor for Sarcosine Detection
Author: Saikia Onishaa, Dutta Jiten Ch
Published in: IEEE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 12, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Onishaa Saikia (Author)
Precise measurement of very low concentrations of Sarcosine present in the human body is challenging. This study introduces an enzyme-modified field effect transistor based biosensor that integrates a nano-composite based enzyme supporting layer with a high-k dielectric CNT-ISFET. This biosensor achieves high sensitivity, a very low limit of detection, acceptable stability, along with good repeatability and reproducibility, making it ideal for detecting Sarcosine, a crucial biomarker for Prostate Cancer.
A Novel All-Solid-State Levocetirizine-Selective Potentiometric Microsensor
Author: Dere Nursen
Published in: EE Sensors Journal (Volume: 25, Issue: 11, June 2025)
Summary Contributed by: Payal Savani
Antihistamines like Levocetirizine (LEV) are globally used to treat allergies. Accurate pharmaceutical formulations and quality control are essential to ensure the effectiveness of drugs. This study presents a novel all-solid-state potentiometric microsensor that selectively detects Levocetirizine utilizing Levocetirizine-tetraphenylborate (LEV-TPB). This compact, low-cost microsensor shows low detection limits, a wide operating range, short response times, high accuracy, sensitivity, and selectivity, making it a reliable solution for the effective monitoring of Levocetirizine.
The progress on fire sensing technologies has been quite substantial due to advancements in sensing, information, and communications technologies. The sensing system’s hardware and algorithm ensure its excellent ability to detect early fire with less false positives. The information and communication technology focuses on issuing an early warning to notify the occupants and the fire department. Developing a robust fire system demands establishing the benchmark parameters for heat, flame, smoke, and gas levels detection in every fire scenario.
After years of existence and research efforts, dielectric materials in non-contact bioelectrodes guarantee the hope and survival of patients with heart abnormalities. Without painful skin abrasion, cardiac monitoring devices could reliably ensure constant care and well-being of patients. The researchers provide invaluable insights into the influence of dielectric materials that could change the future of ECG monitoring systems.
A non-profit organization, IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
Copyright 2023 IEEE – All rights reserved. Use of this website signifies your agreement to the IEEE Terms and Conditions
This site is also available on your smartphone.
