CURRENT TRENDS IN ARTIFICIAL-NOSE TECHNOLOGY

Basic principles derived from biological olfaction, such as combining semiselective sensor arrays with pattern recognition, have been used t o develop instrumentation capable of broad-band chemical detection and quantification. Commercially available instruments are useful in area s including quality control in the food, beverage and fragrance indust ries, environmental monitoring, chemical-purity and -mixture analysis, and medical diagnostics. Ongoing research is aimed at the development of more-advanced instruments that are smaller, cheaper, faster and mo re stable and reliable. These second-generation instruments are likely to find an increasing number of applications, including the on-line m onitoring of fermentation and other bioprocesses.