HOW HUMAN ARE ELECTRONIC NOSES

Characterization of odours in olfactometry is usually done by trained persons. The basic problem in an objective characterisation results fr om the fact that general odours and smells cannot be composed by basis vectors of individual components. Our present understanding of the bi ochemical and physiological background in odour sensation is still lim ited. As a result it is not possible to use individual components of t his complex system in any technical hybrid sensor system. Electronic n oses based upon the signal evaluation of individual sensors by means o f pattern recognition are therefore used to produce signal pattern The y are subsequently correlated with subjectively characterised odours o f test persons. Typical examples illustrate possibilities and limitati ons in the use of electronic noses for olfactometry today.