Sniffing out diseaseAsuper-sensitive laser systemdubbed an optical dog’s nose isbeing developed by IPAS scientiststo ‘sniff out’ disease in a person’s breath.The optical frequency comb analysesbreath molecules to detect evidence ofdisease before any external symptomsare showing.“Breath analysis is a relatively newfield with studies around the worlddemonstrating that diseases such aslung and oesophageal cancer, asthmaand diabetes can be detected in this way,”said IPAS Director Professor Andre Luiten.Scientists strike goldPortable gold detection equipment100 times more sensitive thanexisting technology has beendeveloped by an IPAS research team.Using light in two different processes– fluorescence and light absorption –researchers have shown they can detectminute traces of gold in water at lessthan 100 parts per billion.The technology will allow explorationcompanies to test for gold on-site atthe drilling rig with much greateraccuracy and speed.6 Lumen | Winter 2016The technology being developed byIPAS sends up to a million different lightfrequencies through each molecule toreveal its unique molecular fingerprint.“The system could lead to broadscalehealth screening because it can test fora range of molecules at once and offersalmost instant results,” said Andre.The team hopes to have a workingprototype within two years and acommercial product by 2020.Andre thanked the SA Governmentfor supporting the project through thePremier’s Research and Industry Fund.Below: IPAS Director Professor Andre Luitenin the Precision Measurement Laboratories,The Braggs Building“The presence of gold deep undergroundis estimated by analysis of rock particlesfrom exploration drill holes but whenit’s in very low concentrations that’sextremely challenging,” said post-doctoralresearcher Dr Agnieszka Zuber.“Current portable methods for detectionare not sensitive enough and the moresophisticated laboratory systems can takeweeks to produce results.”The easy-to-use IPAS sensor aims todeliver a result within an hour at muchlower cost. The research is funded bythe Deep Exploration TechnologiesCooperative Research Centre and thetechnology is currently being tested onrock samples with promising results.Helping proveEinstein rightScientists at IPAS have played akey role in proving the existence ofgravitational waves, ripples in thefabric of space-time first predicted byAlbert Einstein a century ago.The technological triumph earlier thisyear is sweet success for AssociateProfessor Peter Veitch, the University’sHead of Physics, who has spent mostof his working life trying to detect theseelusive waves.Peter was part of an IPAS team thatprovided support for the internationalLIGO Scientific Collaboration. IPASresearchers developed ultra-highprecision optical sensors to correctthe distortion of laser beams withinthe Advanced LIGO detectors.This enabled the high sensitivityneeded to detect minute signalsproduced by the cataclysmic mergerof two black holes more than onebillion years ago.“I’ve spent nearly 40 years workingtowards this detection which could lead todramatic changes in our understanding ofthe universe and its evolution,” said Peter.
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