Columbia Technology Ventures

Artificial olfactory system for sensing and classifying odorants

This technology is an artificial olfactory system for processing and classifying mono-molecular odorants and odorant mixtures.

Unmet Need: Sensitive method for accurate classification and analysis of odorant mixtures

Living organisms have the ability to sense, process, and classify odorant molecules, due to highly specialized and complex olfactory systems that cannot yet be accurately reproduced by man-made technology. Currently, chemosensors and gas chromatography are used to sense odors, but these technologies require molecular interactions and cannot accurately analyze mixtures of odors. Hence there exists a need to develop a more sensitive method for robust, accurate categorization of odorant mixtures.

The Technology: Bio-inspired system for real-time detection and classification of odorants

This technology utilizes a three-layer circuit system to detect and classify both mono-molecular odorants and odorant mixtures with high sensitivity and accuracy. Inspired by the fruit fly’s olfactory system, this technology consists of three circuit layers, which work sequentially to convert odor input into an electrical signal independent of its concentration, before real-time computation of the odorant’s information and classification. The first layer uses olfactory sensors to encode odors into electrical signals, while the second layer removes the effect of odorant concentration from the signals, and the third uses this information to calculate odorant information and classification. This technology has potential applications across various industries, such as the detection of harmful compounds in food products and the environment, as well as categorization of odorants for cosmetic and research applications.

This technology has been biologically validating using electrophysiology.

Applications:

  • Monitoring for hazardous chemical odors
  • Detection explosive devices
  • Assay for food safety
  • Culinary optimization
  • Odor identification for cosmetic applications
  • Olfaction-guided navigation
  • Research tool for olfactory system study

Advantages:

  • Real-time data processing
  • Classification of complex mixtures
  • High sensitivity
  • Unbiased and automated detection
  • Detection independent of molecule concentration

Lead Inventor:

Aurel Lazar, Ph.D.

Related Publications:

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