Scent Database Construction via Electronic and Biological Nose Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic nose systems are not designed to characterize olfactive descriptors of smells in a way that mimics human perception, requiring pre-calibration for each specific case and lacking mutual information exchange between chemical and sensory data, which leads to inconsistencies across devices and inability to account for human subjective experiences such as health conditions and hormonal influences.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that constructs a global scent perception database by concurrently analyzing odorant materials with both electronic sensing units and biologic noses, generating electronic signatures and perception data, which are then used to create a database associating olfactive descriptors with specific odors, allowing for objective odor evaluation and identification across different devices without pre-calibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electronic nose systems use chemical composition analysis, then objective measurement is achieved, but human perception alignment is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines electronic nose chemical analysis data with human sensory panel perception data into a unified database. Each odor entry includes both chemical composition information from sensors and descriptive olfactive characteristics from human evaluators, creating a hybrid dataset that bridges objective measurement and subjective perception.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computational model as an intermediary that translates chemical composition data into predicted olfactive descriptors. This mediator processes the chemical analysis results and generates perceived odor characteristics by referencing the trained database, enabling electronic systems to predict human-like odor perceptions without direct human involvement in each measurement.
2Measurement precision
If pre-calibration is performed for each specific case, then measurement accuracy is improved, but system complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs calibration actions in advance by collecting and storing paired data from electronic noses and human sensory panels during a database construction phase. This preliminary action creates a pre-trained reference database that eliminates the need for time-consuming calibration procedures before each actual odor measurement task.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of human perception characteristics stored in the database, which can be rapidly accessed and applied to new measurements without requiring physical recalibration. The system copies the learned relationships between chemical compositions and perceived odors from the training phase and applies them directly to new samples.
3Reliability
If device-specific calibration is used, then device reliability is improved, but interoperability between devices decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal database structure and computational framework that can be used across different electronic nose devices. The standardized data format and transferable trained models enable interoperability between devices from different manufacturers or batches, allowing each device to benefit from the collective calibration data without requiring device-specific customization.
4Measurement precision
If chemical composition data is analyzed alone, then analytical precision is improved, but olfactive descriptor characterization is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges chemical composition data from electronic sensors with olfactive descriptor data from human sensory evaluation into integrated database records. Each odor entry simultaneously contains precise chemical analysis results and corresponding perceived odor characteristics, preserving both analytical precision and sensory information in a unified structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for creating a scent database is described. An electronic sensing unit is used to receive an odorant sample and generate an electronic signature characterizing the sample received therein via a guiding unit that guides a first portion of the sample into an electronic sampling unit and a second portion of the sample towards an outlet. A control unit is used to receive data indicative of the signature generated by the sensing unit and data from user(s) indicative of olfactive descriptors characterizing the sample to which the users are exposed, enabling creation of a data record including first and second data corresponding to the same sample. The database includes data, each associated with a specific odorant sample, which may be used to characterise/formulate/create, a desired scent based on comparison of an electric signature generated for the scent and data records which signatures comply with best compliance criterion.