In a development that may pave the way for the invention of an "artificial nose," researchers have found a way to mass-produce the odor receptors found in human nostrils. An artificial nose could have military applications:
DARPA has taken an interest in the research, which it believes could lead to the development of tools to replace drug- and bomb-sniffing dogs [io9].
But the technology could eventually be used in medical diagnostics as well, as diseases like skin and bladder cancer have distinctive odors.
Many researchers worldwide are working on "E-noses", which detect the same molecules that make up the scents we recognise.... However, while many rely on sensors constructed from artificial materials, the US researchers are working on a sensor with the biology of the human nose at its centre [BBC News].
The olfactory receptors that identify odors are proteins that rest on the cell membranes of the roughly 40 ...
