A pattern recognition artificial olfactory system based on human olfactory receptors and organic synaptic devices | Science Advances

Neuromorphic sensors, designed to emulate natural sensory systems, hold the promise of revolutionizing data extraction by facilitating rapid and energy-efficient analysis of extensive datasets. However, a challenge lies in accurately distinguishing specific analytes within mixtures of chemically similar compounds using existing neuromorphic chemical sensors. In this study, we present an artificial olfactory system (AOS), developed through the integration of human olfactory receptors (hORs) and artificial synapses. This AOS is engineered by interfacing an hOR-functionalized extended gate with an organic synaptic device. The AOS generates distinct patterns for odorants and mixtures thereof, at the molecular chain length level, attributed to specific hOR-odorant binding affinities. This approach enables precise pattern recognition via training and inference simulations. These findings establish a foundation for the development of high-performance sensor platforms and artificial sensory systems, which are ideal for applications in wearable and implantable devices.