![\"sensor\"\/](\"http:\/\/www.instablogsimages.com\/images\/2010\/04\/13\/sensor_fNUuj_69.jpg\")
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Eco Factor:<\/strong> Cellphones that detect toxic chemicals in ambient air.<\/p>\n Today smartphones follow a Swiss-Army-Knife trend that integrates several smart features, like cameras, MP3 players, GPS, Wi-Fi and even a bar code scanner into a compact device that you can easily carry around. In future smartphones might just house something much more important than a 5MP camera. They\u2019ll be able to sniff out toxic chemicals in the air and alert the user and other authorities.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The technology is being developed by Homeland Security\u2019s Science and Technology Directorate\u2019s Cell-All initiative. Cell-All aims to equip cellphones with a sensor that is capable to sniff out deadly chemicals. The technology is ingenious and the chip that performs the job is likely to cost less than a dollar. The chip is programmer either to alert the cellphone carrier and\/or a central station that can monitor how many alerts in an area are being received. <\/p>\n Just as antivirus software bides its time in the background and springs to life when it spies suspicious activity, so Cell-All would regularly sniffs the surrounding air for certain volatile chemical compounds. When a threat is sensed, an alert ensues in one of two ways. For personal safety issues such as a chlorine gas leak, a warning is sounded; the user can choose a vibration, noise, text message or phone call. For catastrophes such as a sarin gas attack, details including time, location and the compound are phoned home to an emergency operations center.<\/p>\n