OCEAN: Application for Optimising Energy Consumption in High-Power Electrical Devices
May 8, 2025
HARMONIZE: Enhanced Membrane Distillation and Crystallisation Technologies for Ammonia Product Recovery Approaching Zero Waste
May 13, 202512/05/2025
The digitalisation of human senses has advanced significantly in areas such as vision, hearing and touch. However, smell and taste continue to present a technological challenge, as their analysis relies on the identification of volatile or dissolved chemical compounds. While there are various sensors on the market capable of detecting specific gases and substances, they often lack the versatility required for comprehensive recognition of complex odours, showing limitations in adapting to different combinations of compounds.
In the field of artificial olfactory detection, various technologies have been explored that make use of the interaction between volatile compounds and sensing surfaces, generating changes in electrical properties such as conductivity. These phenomena—affected by factors like temperature and compound concentration—provide data that can be analysed to identify odours.
In this context, an innovative solution has been developed to offer greater flexibility and transparency in odour recognition using artificial intelligence. This approach focuses on the ability to easily and adaptively integrate new odours into the identification system. Furthermore, being an open-source solution, it gives users the freedom to customise and adapt it to their specific needs, fostering innovation and collaboration in the advancement of artificial olfaction.
The architecture of this solution is based on the use of efficient neural networks designed to run on low-cost microcontrollers. This enables the implementation of odour recognition systems in a wide range of devices and applications. A key feature of the solution is its ability to process sensory information in an optimised way, even allowing the sequential application of multiple AI models on the same acquired data. This feature opens the door to recognising a considerable number of odours using limited computational resources, enhancing the efficiency and versatility of olfactory detection systems.
Technology
You want to know more?
Related Projects
- Researchers from the Architecture, Energy and Environment research group (AiEM) and the Design and Analysis of Architectural Structures research group of the Department of Architectural Technology (DiCEA), which are part of the Centre for Research and Services for the Local Administration (CRAL) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), have developed an innovative system for the structural strengthening of ceramic floor slabs using stress-activated timber, designed to intervene in occupied buildings in a fast, sustainable and replicable manner.
- A team of researchers led by the FLUMEN Research Institute at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) has participated in the European ICARIA project. Its aim is to develop tools and risk maps that enable public authorities and infrastructure managers to anticipate the impacts of extreme climate events and make adaptation decisions on a more robust technical basis.
- A research team from the Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial (IRI, CSIC-UPC), together with the Centre de Disseny d'Equips Industrials (CDEI) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), are participating in the national CASANDRA project to develop a digital manufacturing solution that will make it possible to establish a bidirectional data flow for continuous digital integration throughout the supply chain across the product life cycle. This integration will be achieved through digital twins and data-based models that are continuously updated thanks to distributed monitoring and control tools.
- The Materials Interfaces and Colloid Engineering group (INTERCOLL) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), in collaboration with the Life Cycle Thinking group at the University of the Basque Country (EHU), are taking part in the BIOCHOLESTEROID project to develop new bio-based smart materials with optical response for advanced applications.
