This Robotic Nose Can Smell Counterfeit Whiskies Better Than Trained Sommeliers

Scientists have developed a robotic nose dubbed NOS.E that can distinguish between different kinds of whiskies based on their brand, origin, and authenticity among other factors.

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Developed by researchers from the University of Technology, Sydney, the NOS.E is designed to replace human sommeliers and help spot counterfeit alcohol.

Human sommeliers, regardless of how good they truly are, aren¡¯t 100 percent accurate. And the only other way to have whisky tested (either for taste or authenticity) is via a complex chemical analysis conducted in a laboratory that¡¯s not only expensive but also time-consuming.

NOS.E however, does so in a matter of minutes. It mimics a human¡¯s olfactory system using eight gas sensors that track odours in a vial of whisky. Depending on the odour molecules present in the vial, a sensor array generates a unique signal matrix.

This is then sent to a computer for analysis with the help of an ML algorithm that¡¯s trained to detect key characteristics in different whiskies.

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Researchers tested NOS.E on six whiskies -- three blended malts and three single malt whiskies. NOSE.E was able to detect differences between the whiskies with 100 percent accuracy, in terms of region, 96.15 percent accuracy for brand name and 92.31 percent accuracy for style.

Lab tests like gas chromatography and mass spectrometry delivered similar results, according to researchers. Researchers are of the belief that in future, the technology will be useful across a range of drinks which could also include cognac and wine.

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