CalTech researchers develop an electronic nose

The Lewis Group, a division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Cal Tech, says it has a working model of an electronic nose. The research of Cal Tech scientists has led to an array of simple, readily fabricated chemically sensitive conducted polymer film. An array of broadly cross reactive sensors respond to a variety of odors, but the pattern of differential responses across the array produces a unique pattern for each odorant. The electronic nose can identify, classify, and quantify when necessary the vapor or odor that poses a concern or threat. The electronic nose responds much as the mammalian olfactory sense produces diagnostic patterns and then transmits the information to the brain for processing and analysis.

There are many applications and uses for the electronic nose in the commercial and security markets. The electronic nose could provide a remote sensing device for oil and gas exploration, generators, electrical generators, and any type of manufacturing setting in which an odor or vapor may be the first signal of a malfunction. Similarly, it may be used to detect chemical spills and terrorist attacks in which odors and scents may be used for detection.

The Cal Tech Nose has shown the ability to function well in normal room temperatures and varied setting. It can detect an odor and then, by robotics, turn its attention to the odor or vapor it identifies as a concern. The research with the Cal Tech Nose is continuing and currently is combining efforts with NASA and other engineering groups which specialize in VLSI and integrated chip design. A series of queries are being tested by the Cal Tech Nose team. One inquiry is can one assign a numeric factor for the human judgment of smell. Other inquiries involve calibration and sophisticated application of the innovation.