Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) were functionalized with a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) wrapping designed using an artificial intelligence approach and tested using S-nitroso-N-acetyl penicillamine (SNAP) as a standard released-NO marker. An optical SWIR reader with LED excitation at 650 nm, 730 nm and detecting emission above 1000 nm was developed to read the fluorescence signal from the SWCNTs. Finally, the SWCNT was embedded in GelMa to prove the feasibility of monitoring the release of NO in bovine chondrocyte and osteochondral inflamed cultures (1–10 ng/ml IL1β) monitored over 48 hours. The stability of the inflammation model and NO release was indirectly validated using the Griess and DAF-FM methods. A microfabricated sensor tag was developed to explore the possibility of using ssDNA-SWCNT in an The SWCNT sensor was sensitive to NO in both The ssDNA-SWCNT technology showed the possibility of monitoring inflammation continuously in an