October 28, 2009 Sci-Tech: Electric nose to detect dangerous chemicals Play video

(NECN) - The dogs and chemical sniffing devices seen at airports can only detect a few of the potentially harmful substances passengers could be bringing on board. But now a research team in Illinois has discovered a way to check for the presence of dozens of potentially harmful substances within seconds.

In Sci-Tech Today, Karine Thate has more on an opto-electronic "nose" that can sniff out dangerous chemicals in the air. Karine is the Museum of Science nanotechnology correspondent.