Robot With Sense Of Smell Could Soon Sniff Out Explosives, Drugs, Diseases: Researchers

The future isn't far when robots will be able to sniff if someone is smuggling drugs or carrying bombs — at least, that's what researchers at Tel Aviv University believe.

What Happened: Airport security usually consists of a pretty expensive magnetometer that can detect if a passenger is carrying any metal device. However, when checking if a "passenger is smuggling drugs," Airport security still heavily relies on a trained dog squad to sniff. 

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Taking a cue from this phenomenon, researchers from Tel Aviv University, Israel, have created a robot that can identify odors with 10,000 times higher sensitivity than a commonly used electronic device, reported Neuroscience News. 

The results of the study were published in the journal Biosensor and Bioelectronics.

In a video shared by the university on YouTube, Dr. Ben Maoz, who is part of the team behind the technological marvel, described the robot as a bio-hybrid platform. 

The robot is fitted with a biological sensor that sends electrical signals after contacting a nearby smell. The robot can then "detect and interpret" the odor. 

In the study, scientists could characterize eight odors, including geranium, lemon and marzipan. 

Researchers believe that the technology behind their bio-hybrid platform can essentially be used to identify explosives, drugs and diseases, among other things, the report noted. 

Why It's Important: The aforementioned YouTube video states that the robot is a "scientific first."

However, in June 2022, Michigan State University researchers published a paper detailing a system leveraging surgically-altered locusts to detect cancer cells, reported Engadget. 

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