Digitisation of the sense of smell

Smelling: Special electronic noses are to be developed in the new research project. Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena) - Over the next three years, the participating partner institutes from Germany, Israel and Finland want to jointly develop intelligent electronic sensors that can detect and digitally transmit healthy and pathologically altered body odours. This technology should pave the path for the digitalisation of the sense of smell. Those whose body odour reminds one of garlic should consult a doctor quickly - it could be arsenic poisoning. A visit to the doctor is also advisable for those whose sweat smells foul - scurvy could be the cause. Body odours play an important role in life - as a social norm, in contact between baby and parents, or in recognising illness. Trained human noses extract a great deal of information from smells.