CantiChip8s are based on a cantilever technology. The cantilevers are 100 µm long, 50 µm wide and 0.5 µm thick. The upper side of the cantilever is coated with a detector layer. This layer has the ability to recognize and interact with the molecule of interest. This principle is called affinity based sensing.

When a molecule binds to the detector layer, a change in the surface stress is induced. This is usually not observed when the detector layer is placed on a solid surface. However, on the very small and flexible cantilevers this induces a deflection of the cantilever, as the surface stress only changes on the one side of the cantilever.

A piezo resistor is incorporated in the cantilever. This changes its electrical resistance when it is either compressed or elongated .

The mechanical movement of the cantilever is thereby transformed into an electrical signal that can be detected

The detection is real time and can thus give quantitative and qualitative data within seconds