In the last 15 years, per every sensor device created, commercially marketed, and used in real world scenarios, over 3,000 research papers have been published in the field of nano-biosensing. The big disproportionate research to commercial translation ratio reveals a remarkable gap between the research world and the real world, and indicates the need not only for cross-cutting fundamental scientific and engineering principles but also for smart ways to conduct marketing.

This talk introduces a sensing mobile device based on a hybrid chemical nanosensor for metabolism tracking introduced in the market in 2015. During the talk, we discuss the insights of the sensor device development and market implementation, including a multi-disciplinary approach that the team used to overcome technical and marketing barriers to place the product in the market.

In order to achieve the goal, chemical and physical sensing mechanisms were implemented as approach for detection of analytes in the samples. In addition, from the marketing stand point, a user-based feedback strategy was implemented to define the market need, and improve the product features. These approaches helped to bridge the above-mentioned gap. The technical barriers involved the use of synergic combination of nanocomposite sensing materials, multiple sensing transduction mechanisms and decision-fused sensor signal processing algorithmthat provides selective, fast, and specific detection of analytes. The sensors used colorimetric and pressure based mechanisms to assess metabolism. The sensors were integrated into portable devices that use a smartphone to process sensor signals, and display results.

The marketing barriers included the outreach to health professionals to adopt the technology. The barriers were overcome with sensor device test trials, clinical validation, as well as marketing strategies.