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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

A modern twist on an old technology could soon help detect rogue methane leaks, hidden explosives and much more [sciencedaily.com]. A Duke University team is using software to dramatically improve the performance of chemical-sniffing mass spectrometers.

Conventional mass spectrometers separate compounds by giving them an electric charge and passing them through electric and/or magnetic fields. The lighter the compound, the more it bends in the field. By determining what compounds make up a given sample, these instruments can identify almost any substance.

Mass spectrometers were invented in the 1930s, and they're still typically the size of an oven or refrigerator. Inherent hurdles to miniaturization have made it difficult to use them outside of a laboratory. But with the help of modern data analytics, researchers at Duke have demonstrated a technology using a so-called "coded aperture" that promises to shrink these devices while maintaining their performance. The advance could lead to portable mass spectrometers that could be used to detect environmental or safety hazards in the field.

Who needs lipstick on a collar when the new mass spectrometer can detect a couple of particles of her perfume on his clothes?

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