For some people, mention of the phrase ‘Artificial Nose’ would probably conjure up notions of the many types of electronic aroma sensors currently in use. Say, e.g. NOSE II
But these are by no means the only type of ‘Artificial Nose’. Take, for example the artificial nasal cavity built by J. T. Kelly, A. K. Prasad, and A. S. Wexler of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, at the University of Delaware, US. It’s described in their paper for the Journal of Applied Physiology, 89: pp. 323–337 entitled ‘Detailed flow patterns in the nasal cavity’.
“In this work, particle image velocimetry was used to determine two-dimensional instantaneous velocity vector fields in parallel planes throughout a model of the nasal cavity that was subjected to a nonoscillatory flow rate of 125 ml/s. The model, which was fabricated from 26 computed tomography scans by using rapid prototyping techniques, is a scaled replica of a human right nasal cavity.“
There were, however, some shortcomings regarding the silicone nasal cavity model. For example : “… nostril hairs are not included in the replica.”Future work, explain the team, may incorporate not only nostril hairs, but might also be able to emulate the “… warm, moist, and compliant properties of nasal tissue“.
Also see: (partially related) Profiling the Nasal Ranger ® (for field sniffers)