August 1997

Artificial Sensors

In the articles (i) "Rapid analyte recognition in a device based on optical sensors and the olfactory systems" (White, J., Kauer, J.S., Dickinson, T.A., Walt, D.R., in: Analytical Chemistry 68 (1997), 2191-2202] and (ii) "A chemical detecting system based on a cross-reactive optical sensor array" [Dickinson, T.A., White, J., Kauer, J.S., Walt, D.R. in: Nature 382 (1996), 697-700] the development of a new vapor sensing device is described that is designed as an array of optically based chemosensors, providing input to a pattern recognition system incorporating artificial neural networks.

Now scientists are developing a high-tech way to sniff out mines, using an artificial "nose" that can detect the smell of explosives. "We can train our device in the same way you train a dog to detect the spectrum of odors in the land mines" (Kauer, J.S.)

Additional reference:

Feng, W.H., Kauer, J.S., Adelman, L., Talamo, B.R. - New structure of the olfactory PIT in human olfactory mucosa - in: J. Comp. Neur. 376 (1997), 443-453, 1997.

October 1999

The Electronic Sniffing

Vapor is sampled >> Nose Chip (with a polymer sensor that expands like a sponge when it comes in contact with a vapor) >> Response signal >> Identification 

Greenberg, I. - A nose for business in: Technology Review (1999) July - August, 63 - 67 - Nose Chips could be integrated into many consumer products. Cyrano Inc. is studying how well their nose (Cyranose 2000) can mimic human sensory values.