Olfactory search behavior of human wearing olfactory assist mask

Here we report on the use of an olfactory assist system to track an airborne odor plume. The system consists of a gas sensor and an odor generator. The sensor measures the concentration variations of a gaseous chemical compound wafting in the air. The odor generator presents the user with an odor with amplified concentration variations. Thus, the user of the olfactory assist system can virtually have an enhanced sense of smell. Experimental results show that the users of the olfactory assist system can easily locate an odor source by checking the spatial concentration variations of the faint odor.