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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 30, 2025

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

Published on: August 18, 2014

Canine-inspired Unidirectional Flows for Improving Memory Effects in Machine Olfaction.

Soohwan Kim¹, Sandeepan Mukherjee¹, Jordi Fonollosa^2,3,4

¹George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.

Integrative and Comparative Biology

|May 15, 2023

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Dogs

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Last Updated: Jul 30, 2025

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Published on: January 28, 2021

Area of Science:

Olfactory science
Biomimetic engineering

Background:

Human noses have bidirectional airflow, while dog noses have unidirectional airflow.
Previous simulations suggest unidirectional flow creates stagnant zones in dog nasal passages.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the hypothesis that stagnant zones in dog noses create a "physical memory" for odor comparison.
To compare airflow dynamics and odor release in human-like bidirectional flow versus dog-like unidirectional flow.

Main Methods:

Experiments using the Gaseous Recognition Oscillatory Machine Integrating Technology (GROMIT).
Two-dimensional simulations of airflow in nasal passageways.
Comparison of three airflow settings: bidirectional (human-like), short-circuit, and unidirectional (dog-like).

Main Results:

Sensors in the unidirectional setting exhibited the slowest return to baseline after odor exposure, indicating memory effects.
Simulations revealed that both short-circuit and unidirectional flows generated trapped recirculation zones.
These zones prolonged odor release from the chamber.

Conclusions:

Unidirectional airflow in a dog's nasal passage may create odor memory effects.
These findings could enhance the sensitivity and application of electronic noses.
Recirculation zones play a key role in the olfactory memory phenomenon.