Recent advances in electronic tongues

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Sensor Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Electronic tongues (e-tongues) are sensor arrays that leverage global selectivity for liquid sample discrimination.
• They analyze complex mixtures like beverages and detect trace contaminants in water.
• Key detection principles include electrochemical measurements and impedance spectroscopy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent developments in electronic tongues (e-tongues) and taste sensors.
• To summarize detection principles and materials used in e-tongue sensing units.
• To highlight the extension of e-tongue concepts into biosensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilizes sensor arrays with materials, often ultrathin films, for differential electrical responses.
• Employs electrochemical measurements and impedance spectroscopy as primary detection techniques.
• Integrates artificial intelligence and information visualization for enhanced sample classification.

Main Results:

• E-tongues demonstrate effective analysis of diverse liquid samples, including wines, juices, and beverages.
• The use of layer-by-layer ultrathin films enhances sensitivity and allows control over molecular architecture.
• E-tongue principles are successfully extended to biosensing for clinical diagnosis via molecular recognition.

Conclusions:

• E-tongues offer a powerful approach for liquid analysis, with ongoing advancements in materials and detection methods.
• The integration of AI significantly improves the performance of e-tongues in sample identification tasks.
• Future applications span food analysis, environmental monitoring, and clinical diagnostics.