What's That Smell?

The new system, which runs artificial intelligence software on Intel's Loihi neuromorphic chip, is essentially an "electronic nose" that can learn the scent of a chemical from a single exposure. Researchers at Cornell University and Intel have developed artificial intelligence (AI) software that can learn the scent of a chemical with just one exposure, and then remember that scent forever. The software, which is designed to run most efficiently on an experimental chip from Intel known as Loihi, is so precise, it can even detect a scent that's masked by a number of other scents, according to researchers. Ultimately, the researchers hope to produce a market-ready solution that can detect hazardous substances in the air, sniff out dangerous drugs, discover hidden explosives, and assist with medical diagnoses. "Low-energy modules built around Loihi, running our algorithm, and hooked-up to diverse sensor arrays could be built into robots, medical analysis devices; for example, blood composition, hyperspectral processors, air quality sensors, food processing pipelines, you name it," says Thomas A. Cleland, a member of the research team and associate chair and professor of psychology at Cornell University. The system works by processing an input signal pattern for a scent drawn from an array of sensors, then recording that signal pattern in the AI software as a recognizable scent for future use.