Application of artificial neural networks to the design and implementation of electronic olfactory systems

Developments in electronic olfactory systems have broadened their range of applications to many industrial fields, such as the chemical, food and cosmetic industries. Mimicking the human olfactory systems, where neural processing enhances the sensibility and selectivity of the chemosensory receptor cells, the new generation of "electronic noses" combine arrays of chemical sensors with powerful artificial neural network processing algorithms. The paper reviews the state of the art of these electronic instruments and describes the research activities conducted in this field by the Electrical Engineering Department of the Rovira i Virgili University of Tarragona, Spain.