LEARNBIOMIMICRYExamples
Technology
Specialized smell sensor technology
Specialized smell sensor technology: the human application
TechnologyElectronicsFormProcess

Specialized smell sensor technology

Natural system

Nature Model

biological inspiration

Various

Application

primary function

Global

Location

origin

The Problem

This innovation addresses a key sustainability or performance challenge.

Specialized smell sensor technology Figuring out how insects smell led to an amazing discovery—a set of specially made smell receptors that can be used to create highly sensitive biosensors. These sensors can detect and measure thousands of different compounds, the human nose can not.

Specialized smell sensor technology Figuring out how insects smell led to an amazing discovery—a set of specially made smell receptors that can be used to create highly sensitive biosensors. These sensors can detect and measure thousands of different compounds, the human nose can not. Applications range from food quality monitoring to earlier disease detection.

Biomimicry Breakdown

The Biomimicry Analysis

Term
Applied to Specialized smell sensor technology
Resulting Design
A nature-inspired solution: Specialized smell sensor technology

Find your own nature-inspired opportunities

Inspired by Specialized smell sensor technology? The Biomimicry Opportunity Map scans your company website and suggests challenges worth solving the way nature would.

Get started →

Apply This

Design Application Prompts

1 How could the principles of this natural system be applied to solve similar challenges in other industries?Explore with Explora → 2 What other functions could benefit from the mechanism used in Specialized smell sensor technology?Explore with Explora → 3 How might this approach be scaled or adapted for different contexts?Explore with Explora →

More Technology Examples

Biological inspiration for Prophesee - Retinal Event-Based Neuromorphic Vision
Human application for Prophesee - Retinal Event-Based Neuromorphic Vision
Technology

Human retina photoreceptor and ganglion cell arrays

Prophesee - Retinal Event-Based Neuromorphic Vision

Human retinal architecture inspires event-based vision sensors generating 1000x less data than conventional cameras whilst capturing motion and edges.

  • ✿Inspired by: Human retina photoreceptor and ganglion cell arrays
  • ⚡︎Function: Biological vision must extract behaviorally relevant information (motion, edges, predators) from high-resolution scenes whilst constraini...
  • ▣Company: Prophesee
  • ◉Where: Paris, France
See full biomimicry example
Biological inspiration for EvoLogics - Dolphin Echolocation Underwater Communication
Human application for EvoLogics - Dolphin Echolocation Underwater Communication
Technology

Dolphin echolocation system

EvoLogics - Dolphin Echolocation Underwater Communication

Dolphin echolocation processing inspires S2C acoustic modems achieving accurate underwater communication where conventional sonars fail.

  • ✿Inspired by: Dolphin echolocation system
  • ⚡︎Function: Dolphins must navigate and hunt in visually opaque water, identifying prey position, size, and material properties from acoustic reflecti...
  • ▣Company: EvoLogics
  • ◉Where: Berlin, Germany
See full biomimicry example
Biological inspiration for Pyri - Pine Cone Hygroscopic Wildfire Detection
Human application for Pyri - Pine Cone Hygroscopic Wildfire Detection
Technology

Pine cone (Pinus spp.) hygroscopic response

Pyri - Pine Cone Hygroscopic Wildfire Detection

Pine cone's humidity-responsive opening/closing mechanism inspires early wildfire detection devices that require no electronics.

  • ✿Inspired by: Pine cone (Pinus spp.) hygroscopic response
  • ⚡︎Function: Pine cones must disperse seeds during ideal moisture conditions whilst protecting them during drought or excess moisture. They sense and...
  • ▣Company: Pyri
  • ◉Where: USA
See full biomimicry example

There's a natural world to explore

Learn to find strategies like this yourself

Get the free Field Guide Browse all biomimicry examples →