A group of scientists has managed to replicate the olfactory system of living beings, using insect antennae and, of course, Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The study was published in Neuroscience News and explains how Neta Shvil, Ben Maoz, Yossi Yovel and Amir Ayali, from Sagol School of Neuroscience from Tel Aviv University, have managed to reproduce the sense of smell of living beings in a robot.

According to the study, the researchers have developed a "bio-hybrid" platform, which uses biological sensors directly connected to electronic systems. Thus, together with AI algorithms, they gave life to an unprecedented robot: capable of detecting odors.

"Some animals have amazing abilities to detect explosives or drugs. Creating a robot with a biological sense of smell could help us preserve human life and identify criminals in a way that is not possible today. Some animals can detect diseases. Others can sense earthquakes. The sky's the limit," said Ben Maoz, from the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University, quoted by pplware.

To make the bio-hybrid system work, the researchers used antennas taken from a desert locust. These biological elements were then connected to electronic components capable of measuring the amount of electrical signal produced by the antennae when they detect odors.

In order to ensure that the robot characterizes the smells, the electronic device was connected to an AI system that allowed the robot to differentiate between eight pure smells recognized by the human olfactory system.

"Nature is much more advanced than we are, so we have to use it. The principle we have demonstrated can be used and applied to other senses, such as sight and touch..." added Maoz.

As for the relevance of a robot that identifies smells, this could range from detecting drugs and explosives to identifying cancer cells.