Revolutionizing the way dogs detect odors, Canaery’s innovative technology merges neurotechnology with canines to create super detectors, with potential applications in security, environmental monitoring, and medical diagnosis.
Dogs have been used for centuries as expert sniffers, helping humans detect everything from wild game to explosives and illicit drugs. However, each dog can only be trained to detect one class of odor compounds, limiting their range of detection. This is where startup Canaery comes in with a innovative solution – merging neurotechnology with canines to create super detectors.
Dogs have been human companions for thousands of years, with evidence suggesting dogs were domesticated between 15,000 to 30,000 years ago.
They are highly social animals, often forming close bonds with their owners.
With over 340 recognized breeds, dogs come in various shapes and sizes, each with unique characteristics and traits.
On average, a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than humans, making them invaluable for tasks like search and rescue operations.
The Science Behind Odor Detection
In mammals, the nose and brain work together to detect smells. When ‘odor molecules enter the nostrils,’ they bind to olfactory receptors, producing a unique electrical signal that is sent to the olfactory bulb for processing. Canaery’s technology uses AI software to recognize patterns in these signals and associate them with specific odors.
Odor detection is a complex process mediated by the olfactory system, which involves specialized cells in the nose called olfactory receptors.
These receptors bind to odorant molecules, triggering a signal that travels to the brain for interpretation.
Research suggests that humans can detect over 1 trillion different odors, with some studies indicating that our sense of smell is more sensitive than our sense of taste.
The olfactory system is also closely linked to memory and emotion, which is why certain smells often evoke powerful emotional responses.
The Nose-Computer Interface
Canaery has developed an array that reads odor information from animals in real-time. This thin, implantable device captures neural signals from the olfactory bulb and sends them to a wireless computer unit for decoding. The company’s prototype pod houses a rat with a nose-computer interface, demonstrating its capabilities.
Potential Applications
The potential applications of Canaery’s technology are vast. Airports and other checkpoints could use the nose-computer interface to detect explosives and illicit drugs. It could also be used to identify environmental hazards, diagnose diseases, or even detect invasive species. The tech has already shown promise in detecting Covid-19, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.
Safety Concerns
While Canaery’s technology holds great promise, there are concerns about safety and animal welfare. In rats, the array can be inserted via a minimally invasive procedure with no apparent damage to tissue or immune response. However, implanting the device in dogs raises questions about potential risks to their quality of life.
The Future of Odor Detection
Canaery’s nose-computer interface has the potential to revolutionize odor detection and open up new possibilities for human-animal collaboration. While there are still concerns to be addressed, the benefits of this technology could outweigh its risks, paving the way for a future where dogs become even more valuable assets in our pursuit of safety and understanding.
Researchers are developing electronic noses (e-noses) that mimic the human sense of smell.
These devices use sensors to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs), allowing for early detection of diseases such as diabetes and certain cancers.
In addition, advancements in machine learning algorithms enable e-noses to learn and adapt to new odors, improving accuracy.
Future applications include detecting explosives, narcotics, and environmental pollutants.
Current Capabilities
Canaery’s rat prototype can detect arson accelerants, smokeless powder, methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. The company is working on a new array with 767 electrodes to capture more information, allowing for greater performance in the field against complex background odors and confounding vapors.
Collaboration and Future Directions
Canaery has partnered with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to develop its technology. Researchers at the lab are working on a next-generation device that will allow for greater performance and accuracy. The company’s collaboration with experts in the field is crucial to advancing this technology and ensuring its safe implementation.
