Koniku’s Scent-Detecting Device
An “iridescent purple nipple the size of a steering wheel” could be the answer to one of biotech’s trickiest problems: creating a device that successfully detects and recognizes odors. Koniku, founded and helmed by Osh Agabi, creates neurotechnology devices; one of their products is the aforementioned “purple nipple,” known as the Konikore. Within the device, living nerve cells are “suspended inside a proprietary solution designed to replicate the mucosa, the layer of membrane high up in our nasal cavities. The cells contain specific transmembrane proteins programmed to recognize odor molecules, precisely as those in our nose would catch a whiff.” The Konikore essentially signals and decodes what it smells, ultimately recognizing the specific scent. It’s already being used by the world’s biggest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (owner of Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois and others) to test drinks’ aromatics, and will soon be used in airports for bomb detection. But Koniku isn’t the only tech company exploring the olfactory world, find out more at Bloomberg.
Image courtesy of Koniku
Via bloomberg.com link opens in a new window
