2006-11-15 -- A research institute has developed a chip that can gauge ultraviolet levels and transmit the information to a cell phone or other electrical products.
Researchers said the UV sensor was more accurate than normal sensors, most of which are made of silicon.
"The device can give users immediate suggestions on how much sunblock to put on," project leader Li Xiangyang at the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, said yesterday.
The institute is part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences - China's premier research organization that has institutes throughout the country.
Li said the sensor, which is as big as a grain of rice, can be installed in the skins of electrical products, such as MP3 players and cell phones, and display UV information on the products' screens. Li's group started researching the sensor chip in 2002. It is a key component for ultraviolet detection devices such as fire alarms, fake note detectors and disinfection control.
The sensor is made of a material called GaN, which is twice as sensitive to ultraviolet radiation than silicon, researchers said. The sensor will be able to display the level of ultraviolet radiation from zero to 15.
If the level is above 10, people will be urged to put on sunblock; and if the level is below five, sunblock is not needed, researchers said.
Researchers did not say when they expect to see the technology used in cell phones or other electrical products.
Li said the sensor would also be used in the next generation of fire alarms because ultraviolet is also sensitive to fire. It can also measure levels of ultraviolet radiation for disinfection use, particularly for medical use.
--Zhang Jun--
