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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Electroantennography-based Bio-hybrid Odor-detecting Drone using Silkmoth Antennae for Odor Source Localization
Published on: August 27, 2021
Biohybrid organoid-robot sensing for olfaction intelligence
Nan Jiang1, Yingying Xue2, Yuhan Peng3
1Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing Technology and Advanced Medical Instrument, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China; The MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-machine Integration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
Researchers developed a biohybrid organoid-robot system integrating a biological nose with AI. This system detects odors and triggers robotic actions, advancing artificial olfaction and embodied intelligence.
Area of Science:
- Biohybrid systems engineering
- Neuroscience and artificial intelligence
- Biomimetic sensor technology
Background:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced artificial systems' sensory capabilities, yet olfaction remains a significant gap.
- Technological challenges have hindered the development of artificial olfactory systems comparable to biological senses.
- Embodied intelligence in AI necessitates the integration of diverse sensory modalities, including smell.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a biohybrid organoid-robot (BOR) system for biomimetic olfactory processing.
- To integrate an olfactory organoid-based bioelectronic nose with machine learning (ML) decoders and a robotic platform.
- To establish a perception-interpretation-actuation loop for environmental odor detection and robotic response.
Main Methods:
- Development of an olfactory organoid-based bioelectronic nose for high-sensitivity odor detection.
- Integration of the bioelectronic nose with ML algorithms for real-time signal decoding.
- Coupling the ML decoders to an odor-triggered robotic platform for executing physical actions.
Main Results:
- The BOR system demonstrated the ability to detect a wide spectrum of odors at low concentrations with rapid response times.
- ML-powered decoding of olfactory signals successfully triggered predefined actions in the robotic system.
- The system established a functional perception-interpretation-actuation loop, enabling odor-guided robotic behavior.
Conclusions:
- The developed biohybrid organoid-robot system represents a significant advancement in artificial olfaction.
- Organoid-based bioelectronic noses offer advantages over traditional electronic noses in sensitivity, specificity, and response time.
- This research contributes to the realization of embodied intelligence by integrating the sense of smell into artificial systems.
