Smell-o-gram: Colorimeter pinpoints aromas

Illinois – Picture being able to pinpoint the exact coffee aroma you want on a graph. That might soon be possible, as researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a ‘colorimeter’ that visually maps out smells.

Tiny squares of polymer film hold 36 drops of carefully designed dyes. These pigments change to colours such as green, blue and red when exposed to various chemicals such as ammonia and fluorine.

The result, demonstrated on cards, shows each smell’s unique fingerprint. This means that subtle differences in complex aromas such as coffee can be illustrated on a graph.

This is a great example of a development that is driven by convenience-seeking ‘Turbulent Teens,’ for more see our Retail Report