Looking for an electronic nose

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the search for an electronic nose, a device capable of identifying and quantifying the components of various odors. Participants explore potential technologies and devices that could fulfill this requirement, including both established and emerging solutions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that a gas chromatograph (GC) could serve the purpose, describing its function and limitations based on past experience in a chemical processing context.
  • Another participant mentions the existence of integrated circuits (ICs) that can detect odors, though details on their operation and effectiveness are not fully specified.
  • Some participants express uncertainty about where to find such devices, indicating a lack of clear resources or vendors for electronic noses.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that electronic noses or similar devices exist, but there is no consensus on the best option or how to acquire them. Multiple competing views on the technology and its applications remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

The discussion lacks specific details on the performance characteristics of the suggested technologies and does not clarify the exact requirements for the desired device. There are also no definitive sources provided for purchasing options.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in odor detection technology, including researchers, engineers, and hobbyists exploring applications in environmental monitoring, food quality assessment, or chemical analysis.

getusama
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Hi

I do not have much knowledge on engineering but please would someone help me look for a device like

an electrical nose and tell me how I could acquire one.

Let me be more descriptive:
Say, this device might have a comopund attached to it that is made up of all kinds of odor elements.
Now, using this device it should be able to sense and tell me what elements and its percentage

quantity (from that compound) a certain odor is made up of.
The end result could come out in a spreadsheet or a database.

I earnestly look forward to a reply and any help will be much appreciated.


Regards
 
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It sounds like you want a gas chromatograph. Very expensive equipment.

Edit: BTW, the technology has probably improved a lot since I was a process chemist in a pulp mill (1978-1982), but we were using a Hewlett Packard GC that was big and bulky. You'd inject a syringe of sample through an injection port into a heated column. You would know approximately how much of each volatile organic compound was in the sample. Just study the graphic printout. A weakness of the system was that you'd have to change columns to measure VOCs of higher or lower molecular weights.
 
Last edited:
There are ICs that smell. I forget how many distinct sensors they need to cover 95% of smells. Perhaps they measure how many new molecules of a substance has landed on each sensor.
 
I know that such things exist, but I haven't the slightest idea where to find them.
 
Galap said:
I know that such things exist, but I haven't the slightest idea where to find them.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ac0312460
 
Thanks everyone. Any more help?
 

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