Sensory Coding and Pattern Recognition with Hybird Olfactory Biosensor

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

EIA-0220301 John Hetling University of Illinois-Chicago BITS: Sensory Coding and Pattern Recognition with Hybrid Olfactory The natural olfactory system combines high sensitivity with broadband detection, excellent discrimination, and fast response times. These characteristics are a result of the sensor array design and the down-stream neural processing. In addition to being relevant to the development of an artificial nose, the pattern recognition problem faced by olfactory systems is analogous in many respects to problems in data mining, especially related to DNA micro arrays. To further our understanding of the biological solution to this general problem, it will be advantageous to record from multiple olfactory neurons simultaneously. This proposal seeks to develop a novel hybrid-device olfactory biosensor, and then to use this system to investigate signal coding and pattern recognition. This will provide information about the coding strategy of the natural system, and provide a test case for new approaches to pattern recognition in complex signals.