People who are afraid of everything will be able to rest easy when they're carrying a cellphone that can sense harmful chemicals, biohazards, gases and poisonous fumes in the air. Gentag, a company that specializes in cellphone sensor technology, just patented a "method and apparatus for wide-area surveillance of a terrorist or personal threat."

This technology could go beyond protecting us from terrorists; it might be helpful for people who are allergic to certain chemicals or substances, who could train their phones to warn them of the presence of such things. Pictured here is a phone equipped with the company's less-useful UV wave sensor, helpfully letting you know whether it's sunny outside or not.

For those less worried about doomsday and just looking for a free WiFi connection, the company is also working on including sensors that can sniff them out, too. There's no word on when we'll be seeing these all-encompassing sensors in the real world. – Charlie White

Cell Phones to monitor the air [Gizmag]

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