Mimicking biological design and computing principles in artificial olfaction.

Biology has inspired solutions to many engineering problems, including chemical sensing. Modern approaches to chemical sensing have been based on the biological principle of combining cross-selective chemical sensors with a pattern recognition engine to identify odors. Here, we review some recent advances made in mimicking biological design and computing principles to develop an electronic nose. The resulting technology will have important applications in fundamental biological research, as well as in industrial, security, and medical domains.