A new nerve-stimulating device may offer hope to people who have permanently or partially lost their sense of smell. Scientists have created a system that detects odor molecules and converts them into a unique electrical signal delivered inside the nose. The device doesn’t create a true scent, but it produces a distinct physical sensation that the brain can learn to interpret. For people with few treatment options, this marks an early step toward restoring a functional sense of smell.
The approach uses sensory substitution — a method where one working sense helps replace a damaged one. Instead of relying on the olfactory system, the device uses the trigeminal nerve, which normally detects temperature and irritation. In tests, participants with complete smell loss were able to detect these “digital scent” signals and could even tell different signals apart. The technology worked just as well in people with anosmia as in those with normal smell, suggesting it could help a wide range of users.
Researchers plan to expand the number of “odor” signals and refine the stimulation patterns before developing a wearable version. While it doesn’t recreate normal smell, it creates a reliable communication channel the brain can use. For the first time, people with smell loss may eventually regain the ability to sense and differentiate odors in daily life. If successful, this technology could pave the way for smell-restoring devices similar to cochlear implants — but for scent.
SOURCE: