Nanomix, an Emeryville, CA-based nanoelectronic detection company, has received an additional $260,000 from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a classified three-year project involving Nanomix’s chemical and biomolecule detection technology. The money is an amendment to a $1 million DHS grant awarded to Nanomix in January.
The project will involve Nanomix’s Sensation technology, a nanoelectronic detection platform based on carbon nanotube networks. The detection devices work 
by monitoring the changes in the electronic characteristics of the device as it interacts with the analyte of choice. Combining the properties of carbon nanotubes with Nanomix’s manufacturing techniques creates devices with low power consumption, small size, and high sensitivity — ideal for handheld and point-of-care products. This video does a nice job of clearly explaining how it all works.
Nanomix is using the Sensation platform to develop three product lines: biomolecule devices, respiratory devices and NanoTect monitors.
In the biomolecule space, the company has devices in the works that address heart-attack and stroke diagnosis, biomarker detection and glucose testing. In respiratory, Nanomix is working on asthma-monitoring and metabolic-testing devices, among other things.
The company is actively seeking partnerships for its medically focused ventures.
In February, Nanomix was awarded another grant for developing its Sensation platform — $500,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant, a follow-on Phase IIB, brought Nanomix’s total NSF funding to over $1,100,000.