Machine Learning Techniques for Improving Nanosensors in Agroenvironmental Applications

Abstract

Nanotechnology, nanosensors in particular, has increasingly drawn researchers’ attention in recent years since it has been shown to be a powerful tool for several fields like mining, robotics, medicine and agriculture amongst others. Challenges ahead, such as food availability, climate change and sustainability, have promoted such attention and pushed forward the use of nanosensors in agroindustry and environmental applications. However, issues with noise and confounding signals make the use of these tools a non-trivial technical challenge. Great advances in artificial intelligence, and more particularly machine learning, have provided new tools that have allowed researchers to improve the quality and functionality of nanosensor systems. This short review presents the latest work in the analysis of data from nanosensors using machine learning for agroenvironmental applications. It consists of an introduction to the topics of nanosensors and machine learning and the application of machine learning to the field of nanosensors. The rest of the paper consists of examples of the application of machine learning techniques to the utilisation of electrochemical, luminescent, SERS and colourimetric nanosensor classes. The final section consists of a short discussion and conclusion concerning the relevance of the material discussed in the review to the future of the agroenvironmental sector.