Electronic Nose
Electronic Nose
Electronic Nose
1. INTRODUCTION
Electronic Nose is a smart instrument that is designed to detect and discriminate among
complex odours using an array of sensors. The array of sensors consists of a number of
broadly tuned (non-specific) sensors that are treated with a variety of odour-sensitive
biological or chemical materials. An odour stimulus generates a characteristic fingerprint
from this array of sensors. Patterns or fingerprints from known odours are used to construct a
database and train a pattern recognition system so that unknown odours can Neural Network
based Soft Computing Techniques are used to tune near accurate co-relation smell print of
multi-sensor array with that of Tea Tasters’ scores. The software framework has been
designed with adequate flexibility and openness so that tea planters themselves may train the
system with their own system of scoring so that the instrument will, then on, reliably predict
such smell print scores.subsequently be classified and/or identified.
Electronic nose is a device that identifies the specific Components of an odour and
analyzes its chemical makeup to Identify it.
An electronic nose consists of mechanism for identification of chemical detection such as
an array of electronic sensors and a mechanism for pattern recognition.
An odour is composed of molecules, each of which has a specific size and shape. Each of
these molecules has a correspondingly sized and shaped receptor in the human nose. When a
specific receptor receives a molecule, it sends a signal to the brain and the brain identifies the
smell associated with that particular molecule. An odor or odour (see spelling differences) is a
volatilized chemical compound, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other
animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also called smells, which can refer to both
pleasant and unpleasant odors. The terms fragrance, scent, and aroma are used primarily by the
food and cosmetic industry to describe a pleasant odor, and are sometimes used to refer to
perfumes. In contrast, malodorous, stench, reek, and stink are used specifically to describe
unpleasant odors. The study of odors is a growing field but is a complex and difficult one. The
human olfactory system can detect many thousands of scents based on only very minute airborne
concentrations of a chemical. The sense of smell of many animals is even better. Some fragrant
flowers give off odor plumes that move downwind and are detectable by bees more than a
kilometer away.
The study of odors can also get complicated because of the complex chemistry taking
place at the moment of a smell sensation. For example iron metal objects are perceived to have
an odor when touched although iron vapor pressure is negligible. According to a 2006 study this
smell is the result of aldehydes and ketones released from the human skin on contact with ferrous
ions that are formed in the sweat-mediated corrosion of iron. The same chemicals are also
associated with the smell of blood as ferrous iron in blood on skin produces the same reaction.
odour in a substance is due to volatile Organic compounds which evaporate and get
carried Away by air.
1.3 Recepters
In biochemistry, a receptor is a protein molecule, embedded in either the plasma
membrane or cytoplasm of a cell, to which a mobile signaling (or "signal") molecule may attach.
A molecule which binds to a receptor is called a "ligand," and may be a peptide (such as a
neurotransmitter), a hormone, a pharmaceutical drug, or a toxin, and when such binding occurs,
the receptor undergoes a conformational change which ordinarily initiates a cellular response.
However, some ligands merely block receptors without inducing any response (e.g.. Ligand-
induced changes in receptors result in physiological changes which constitute the biological
activity of the ligands.
2. COMPONENTS
Sensing System
Pattern Recognition System
In a typical e-nose, an air sample is pulled by a vacuum pump through a tube into a small
chamber housing the electronic sensor array.The tube may be of plastic or stainless steel.
A sample-handling unit exposes the sensors to the odorant, producing a transient
response as the volatile organic compounds interact with the active material.
The sensor response is recorded and delivered to the Signal-processing unit.
Then a washing gas such as alcohol is applied to the array for a few seconds or a
minute,so as to remove the odorant mixture from the active material.
The more commonly used sensors include metal oxide semiconductors, conducting
polymers, quartz crystal microbalance, surface acoustic wave, and field effect transistors.
In recent years, other types of electronic noses have been developed that utilize mass
spectrometry or ultra fast gas chromatography as a detection system.
The computing system works to combine the responses of all of the sensors, which
represents the input for the data treatment. This part of the instrument performs global
fingerprint analysis and provides results and representations that can be easily interpreted.
Moreover, the electronic nose results can be correlated to those obtained from other
techniques.
Figure 2.2 – Schematic Diagram Of Electronic Nose
An electronic nose system primarily consists of four functional blocks, viz., Odour
Handling and Delivery System, Sensors and Interface Electronics, Signal Processing and
Intelligent Pattern Analysis and Recognition. The array of sensors is exposed to volatile odour
vapour through suitable odour handling and delivery system that ensures constant exposure rate
to each of the sensors. The response signals of sensor array are conditioned and processed
through suitable circuitry and fed to an intelligent pattern recognition engine for classification,
analysis and declaration.
The most complicated parts of electronic olfaction process are odour capture and
associated sensor technology. Any sensor that responds reversibly to chemicals in gas or vapour
phase, has the potential to be participate in an array of sensor in an electronic nose. For black
manufactured tea, an array of Metal Oxide Semiconductor sensors have been used for assessment
of volatiles.
Figure 2.3 – specified block diagram of electronic nose
Electronic Nose uses a collection of 16 different polymer films. These films are specially
designed to conduct electricity. When a substance -- such as the stray molecules from a glass of
soda -- is absorbed into these films, the films expand slightly, and that changes how much
electricity they conduct. Because each film is made of a different polymer, each one reacts to
each substance, or analyte, in a slightly different way. And, while the changes in conductivity in
a single polymer film wouldn't be enough to identify an analyte, the varied changes in 16 films
produce a distinctive, identifiable pattern.
CHAPTER 3
Of all the five senses, olfaction uses the largest part of the brain and is an essential part of
our daily lives. Indeed, the appeal of most flavors is more related to the odor arising from
volatiles than to the reaction of the taste buds to dissolved substances. Our olfactory system has
evolved not only to enhance taste but also to warn us of dangerous situations. We can easily
detect just a few parts per billion of the toxic gas hydrogen sulfide in sewer gas, an ability that
can save our life. Olfaction is closely related to the limbic or primitive brain, and odors can elicit
basic emotions like love, sadness, or fear The term,"electronic nose" has come into common
usage as a generic term for an array of chemical gas sensors incorporated into an artificial
olfaction device, after its introduction in the title of a landmark conference on this subject in
Iceland in 1991.There are striking analogies between the artificial noses of man and the
"Biological-nose" constructed by illustrates a biological nose and points out the important
features of this "instrument". electronic nose. Comparing the two is instructive.
4. INTRODUCTION TO SENSORS
4.1 Definition
A sensor is a device which can respond to some properties of the environment and
transform the response into an electric signal.
The sensors in the electronic nose are polymer films which have been loaded with a
conductive medium, in this case carbon black. A baseline resistance of each film is established;
as the constituents in the air change, the films swell or contract in response to the new
composition of the air, and the resistance changes. In the electronic nose, sensing films were
deposited on co-fired ceramic substrates which were provided with eight Au-Pd electrode sets.
4.3.1 Definition
A piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure
pressure, acceleration, strain or force by converting them to an electrical signal.
Piezoelectric sensors have proven to be versatile tools for the measurement of various
processes. They are used for quality assurance, process control and for research and development
in many different industries.From the Curies’ initial discovery in 1880, it took until the 1950s
before the piezoelectric effect was used for industrial sensing applications. Since then, the
utilization of this measuring principle has experienced a constant growth and can be regarded as
a mature technology with an outstanding inherent reliability. It has been successfully used in
various applications as for example in medical, aerospace, nuclear instrumentation and in
mobile's touch key pad as pressure sensor.In the automotive industry piezoelectric elements are
used as the standard devices for engine indicating in developing internal combustion engines.
The combustion processes are measured with piezoelectric sensors. The sensors are either
directly mounted into additional holes into the cylinder head or the spark/glow plug is equipped
with a built in miniature piezoelectric sensor[1].The rise of piezoelectric technology is directly
related to a set of inherent advantages. The high modulus of elasticity of many piezoelectric
materials is comparable to that of many metals and goes up to 105 N/m². Even though
piezoelectric sensors are electromechanical systems that react on compression, the sensing
elements show almost zero deflection. This is the reason why piezoelectric sensors are so rugged,
have an extremely high natural frequency and an excellent linearity over a wide amplitude range.
Additionally, piezoelectric technology is insensitive to electromagnetic fields and radiation,
enabling measurements under harsh conditions. Some materials used (especially gallium
phosphate [2] or tourmaline) have an extreme stability over temperature enabling sensors to have
a working range of upto 1000°C.Tourmaline shows pyroelectricity in addition to the
piezoelectric effect; this is the ability to generate an electrical signal when the temperature of the
crystal changes. This effect is also common to piezoceramic materials.
Transverse effect
A force is applied along a neutral axis (y) and the charges are generated along the
(x) direction, perpendicular to the line of force. The amount of charge depends on the
geometrical dimensions of the respective piezoelectric element. When dimensions a, b, c
apply,
Cx = dxyFyb / a,
where a is the dimension in line with the neutral axis, b is in line with the charge
generating axis and d is the corresponding piezoelectric coefficient.
Longitudinal effect
The amount of charge produced is strictly proportional to the applied force and is
independent of size and shape of the piezoelectric element. Using several elements that
are mechanically in series and electrically in parallel is the only way to increase the
charge output. The resulting charge is
Cx = dxxFxn,
where dxx is the piezoelectric coefficient for a charge in x-direction released by forces
applied along x-direction. FX is the applied Force in x-direction [N] and n corresponds to
the number of stacked elements.
Shear effect
Again, the charges produced are strictly proportional to the applied forces and are
independent of the element’s size and shape. For n elements mechanically in series and
electrically in parallel the charge is
Cx = 2dxxFxn.
In contrast to the longitudinal and shear effects, the transverse effect opens the possibility
to fine-tune sensitivity on the force applied and the element dimension.
CHAPTER 5
5. Range of applications
5.1 Electronic nose for enviromental monitoring
Enormous amounts of hazardous waste (nuclear, chemical, and mixed wastes) were
generated by more than 40 years of weapons production in the U.S. Department of Energies
weapons complex. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is exploring the technologies
required to perform environmental restoration and waste management in a cost effective manner.
This effort includes the development of portable, inexpensive systems capable of real-time
identification of contaminants in the field. Electronic noses fit this category. Environmental
applications of electronic noses include analysis of fuel mixtures, detection of oil leaks, testing
ground water for odors, and identification of household odors. Potential applications include
identification of toxic wastes, air quality monitoring, and monitoring factory emissions. Sensors
can detect toxic CO, which is odorless to humans.
The tragic bombings in London on the 7 July 2005 have caused many to call for bag
searching at the ticket barriers on the Underground. This would cause huge delays, apart from
finding the manpower to do it. A possible alternative is using an “electronic nose” to sniff out
possible explosives so that only selected bags need to be searched by staff. The concept has been
around for a long time, and was initially ridiculed. The basic idea is a device that identifies the
specific components of an odour and analyzes its chemical makeup to identify it. One
mechanism would be an array of electronic sensors would sniff out the odours while a second
mechanism would see if it could recognize the pattern.
Multimedia systems are widely used in consumer electronics environments today, where
humans can work and communicate through multi-sensory interfaces. Unfortunately smell
detection and generation systems are not part of today's multimedia systems. Hence we can use
electronic nose in multimedia environment.
Because the sense of smell is an important sense to the physician, an electronic nose has
applicability as a diagnostic tool. An electronic nose can examine odors from the body (e.g.,
breath, wounds, body fluids, etc.) and identify possible problems. Odors in the breath can be
indicative of gastrointestinal problems, sinus problems, infections, diabetes, and liver problems.
Infected wounds and tissues emit distinctive odors that can be detected by an electronic nose.
Odors coming from body fluids can indicate liver and bladder problems. A more futuristic
application of electronic noses has been recently proposed for telesurgery.
An electronic nose has been found to be a useful tool in controlling the quality of food
packaging board. The nose identifies paperboard from which off-flavor transfers into the
packaged food. Usually, off-flavor is evaluated by a sensory panel, which consists of 8 - 10
people trained to make a sensory evaluation. Before the evaluation, the sample to be examined is
kept for 48 hours in the same container with a reference foodstuff, usually chocolate. The
members of the panel then taste the chocolate and determine whether any off-flavor has been
transferred to the chocolate from the paperboard being examined. Sensory evaluation of samples
is very time-consuming and requires numerous trained people for the panel. For this reason,
some other method to replace sensory evaluation has been sought.
Currently, the biggest market for electronic noses is the food industry. Applications of
electronic noses in the food industry include quality assessment in food production, inspection of
food quality by odor, control of food cooking processes, inspection of fish, monitoring the
fermentation process, verifying if orange juice is natural, monitoring food and beverage odors,
grading whiskey, inspection of beverage containers, checking plastic wrap for containment of
onion odor, and automated flavor control to name a few. In some instances electronic noses can
be used to augment or replace panels of human experts. In other cases, electronic noses can be
used to reduce the amount of analytical chemistry that is performed in food production especially
when qualitative results will do.
A team of researchers from the Yale University (United States) and a Spanish
company have developed a system to detect the vapours emitted by human skin in real
time. The scientists think that these substances, essentially made up of fatty acids, are what
attract mosquitoes and enable dogs to identify their owners.
"The spectrum of the vapours emitted by human skin is dominated by fatty acids. These
substances are not very volatile, but we have developed an ‘electronic nose' able to detect them",
Juan Fernández de la Mora, of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Yale
University (United Status) and co-author of a study recently published in the Journal of the
American Society for Mass Spectrometry, tells SINC. The system, created at the Boecillo
Technology Park in Valladolid, works by ionising the vapours with an electrospray (a cloud of
electrically-charged drops), and later analysing these using mass spectrometry. This technique
can be used to identify many of the vapour compounds emitted by a hand, for example. "The
great novelty of this study is that, despite the almost non-existent volatility of fatty acids, which
have chains of up to 18 carbon atoms, the electronic nose is so sensitive that it can detect them
instantaneously", says Fernández de la Mora. The results show that the volatile
compounds given off by the skin are primarily fatty acids, although there are also others such as
lactic acid and pyretic acid. The researcher stresses that the great chemical wealth of fatty acids,
made up of hundreds of different molecules, "is well known, and seems to prove the hypothesis
that these are the key substances that enable dogs to identify people". The enormous range of
vapours emitted by human skin and breath may not only enable dogs to recognise their owners,
but also help mosquitoes to locate their hosts, according to several studies.
6. ADVANTAGE
The electronic nose is best suited for matching complex samples with subjective
endpoints such as odor or flavor. For example, when has milk turned sour? Or, when is a batch
of coffee beans optimally roasted? The electronic nose can match a set of sensor responses to a
calibration set produced by the human taste panel or olfactory panel routinely used in food
science. The electronic nose is especially useful where consistent product quality has to be
maintained over long periods of time, or where repeated exposure to a sample poses a health risk
to the human olfactory panel. Although the electronicose is also effective for pure chemicals,
conventional methods are often more practical.
6.3 Advantage
Our human nose is elegant, sensitive, and self-repairing, but the E-nose sensors do not
fatigue or get the "flu". Further, the E-nose can be sent to detect toxic and otherwise hazardous
situations that humans may wish to avoid
CHAPTER 7
CONCLUSION
Humans are not well suited for repetitive or boring tasks that are better left to machines.
No wonder the electronic nose is sometimes referred to as a "sniffer". The E-nose has the
interesting ability to address analytical problems that have been refractory to traditional
analytical approaches. GOSPEL is a European network of excellence in Artificial Olfaction.
In my view the electronic nose is a very useful instrument now a days.
REFERENCES
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