The development of robotic engineering is an ever-progressing field of technology, from machines that assemble cars to those made to replace your cat or dog. Some robots are designed to imitate the human senses, and with this in mind chemists have been able to aid the investigation of molecular detection, or robotic smell.
Scientists at NASA have been working on devices known as electronic noses. These are able to recognise the molecules of a compound or the signature that a mixture of compounds leaves behind. This technology is flexible, like the human nose, but it is much more sensitive. Scientists at NASA say their technology can detect an electronic change of 1 part per million, an incredibly low concentration, and much lower than the human nose can detect.
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