Indium oxide nanowires are used for determining information about different chemicals or Biologics. Chemicals are absorbed to the surface of the nanowires, and cause the semiconducting characteristics of the Nanowires to change. These changed characteristics are sensed, and used to determine either the presence of the materials and/or the concentration of the materials. The nanowires may be between 10 and 30 nm in diameter, formed using a comparable size particle of catalyst material. The nanowires may then be used as part of the channel of a field effect transistor, and the field effect transistor is itself characterized.