Photos: Cambridge boffins showcase tech of tomorrow

Chips that can sniff out explosives, in-train entertainment systems and mobile advertising are just some of the inventions that have been showcased at a Cambridge innovation centre.

Funded by East of England Development Agency, the St John's Innovation Centre operates the Cambridge Enterprise Hub and provides support from entrepreneurs needing office space to mature businesses seeking technology partnerships.

At an open day last week it showed off some of the innovations developed by companies that it supports.

For example, these chips are actually chemical detectors that can 'sniff out' explosives.

All explosives have a unique aromatic 'fingerprint'. Billy Boyle, cofounder of the chip producer Owlstone, said they are capable of detecting a suspicious substance the size of a 1p piece in a city the size of Paris.

The picture shows a sheet containing many of the chips, each one about the size of a penny.

Photo credit: Gemma Simpson