Disease detecting smartphones diagnose illnesses using what kind of sensor?

Disease detecting smartphones diagnose illnesses using what kind of sensor?

• A. Camera-based sensors
• B. Breathalyzer-style sensors
• C. Microphone-based sensors
• D. Temperature sensors

Answer: (B)

Breathalyzer-style sensors are used because many diseases leave a chemical fingerprint in a person’s breath. The sensors act like a tiny chemical nose, detecting patterns of volatile compounds—biomarkers such as acetone or nitric oxide—that change with health conditions. A smartphone could analyze these signals to indicate a possible illness in a non-invasive, rapid way. This approach differs from camera-based sensing (which reads visuals), microphone-based sensing (which captures sounds), or temperature sensing (which measures heat)—none of those directly capture the breath-based chemical signatures linked to disease.

Breathalyzer-style sensors are used because many diseases leave a chemical fingerprint in a person’s breath. The sensors act like a tiny chemical nose, detecting patterns of volatile compounds—biomarkers such as acetone or nitric oxide—that change with health conditions. A smartphone could analyze these signals to indicate a possible illness in a non-invasive, rapid way. This approach differs from camera-based sensing (which reads visuals), microphone-based sensing (which captures sounds), or temperature sensing (which measures heat)—none of those directly capture the breath-based chemical signatures linked to disease.