Vusion, Inc. The Solution

The solution to this gap in the market is at hand. Vusion Inc. is partnered with world class researchers at The University of Texas at Austin who are developing the first Electronic Tongue TM. The Electronic Tongue TM is an analyzer that mimics the human tongue using novel chemical micro-sensor technology (see Figure 1). This recent scientific breakthrough in real-time measurement of complex chemical solutions is a vast improvement over current analyzer technology.

Image of Rat Taste Bud (Spielman et al., Encyclopedia of Human Biology) Image of a polymer Bead in a micro-machined Silicon Well The taste bud on the mammalian tongue (above left) serves as the model for the artificial "taste bud" on the Electronic Tongue TM (above right). The artificial taste bud is a polymer bead laced with chemical receptors that resides in the wells of a silicon chip. Each bead reacts (changes color) only in response to a specific chemical. Figure 1

The Electronic Tongue ^TM consists of a light source that shines onto chemically adapted polymer beads arranged on a small silicon wafer, which is known as a Sensor Chip. These beads change color based on the presence and quantity of specific chemicals, currently the receptors are sensitive to I part per million, however, I part per billion sensitivity is expected. The color pattern is captured by a digital camera and the resulting video signal is converted into data using a video capture board and a PC (see Figure 2).

This data output is in a format compatible for input into a process control computer. The polymer beads can be chemically adapted to detect specific chemical compounds within virtually any chemical solution. The capabilities of the technology range from the measurement of simple chemical compounds like calcium carbonate in water (which effects water hardness), to complex organic compounds, such as hemoglobin in blood and proteins in food.