Date:07/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/07/stories/2005010715360600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Nano-sensors can warn of tsunamis

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JAN. 6. New technologies like nano-sensors with the ability to detect even a one-centimetre rise in waves could forewarn coastal areas of tsunamis, said M. Palaniswami, professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Melbourne.

He was speaking to presspersons today at ICISIP 2005, the second international conference on intelligent sensing and information processing, organised by University of Melbourne in association with the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Madras Section.

"There is a huge convergence of smart sensors that are so small and cheap that they can be thrown out in large numbers to gather information," said Prof. Palaniswami.

These sensors can network with millions of other sensors and communicate data through the Internet.

Tiny, smart sensors are being used to register very critical and minute events, said P. Suresh Chander Pal, IEEE Chairman, Madras. "How do you know the living conditions of a snake? Sensors can record even this without disturbing the snake," he said.

Smart sensors could be used to measure and analyse the water quality of the Cooum by someone located elsewhere or used to monitor the strength of a bridge by tracking the amount of traffic on the bridge through the Internet.

Prof. Palaniswami said that in India, intelligent sensors could play a major role in health care by enabling remote diagnosis. Sensors could also be used to protect and monitor the environment and in defence to track unmanned areas.

Countries around the world are making huge investments in research into intelligent sensors and information processing.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has also evinced interest in the technology, said Prof. Palaniswami.

However, the technology has not yet come to the market. The organisers held two pre-conference tutorials on sensor networks, said C. Chandra Sekhar from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology. Interest in this area has grown tremendously, he said.

More than 135 delegates from nine countries participated in the conference.