Related papers: The structure of human olfactory space
We present a generalized theoretical framework for olfactory representation and plasticity, using the theory of smooth manifolds and sheaves to depict categorical odor learning via distributed neural computation. Beginning with the space of…
Understanding how molecular structure gives rise to odor perception remains a long-standing challenge, with ongoing debate over whether olfaction is primarily governed by molecular shape, vibrational properties, or their interplay at the…
We introduce and study an artificial neural network, inspired by the probabilistic Receptor Affinity Distribution model of olfaction. Our system consists on N sensory neurons whose outputs converge on a single processing linear threshold…
The olfactory system employs responses of an ensemble of odorant receptors (ORs) to sense molecules and to generate olfactory percepts. Here we hypothesized that ORs can be viewed as 3D spatial filters that extract molecular features…
The olfactory sense measures the chemical composition of the environment using a diverse array of olfactory receptors. In vertebrates, the olfactory receptors reside in a mucus layer in the nasal cavity and can thus only detect odorants…
Predicting olfactory perception directly from molecular structure is central to fragrance design that plays a role in a wide range of industries, such as perfumery, food and beverage, and health care. Among olfactory attributes, odor…
Animals smelling in the real world use a small number of receptors to sense a vast number of natural molecular mixtures, and proceed to learn arbitrary associations between odors and valences. Here, we propose a new interpretation of how…
Olfaction -- how molecules are perceived as odors to humans -- remains poorly understood. Recently, the principal odor map (POM) was introduced to digitize the olfactory properties of single compounds. However, smells in real life are not…
In the olfactory system, odor percepts retain their identity despite substantial variations in concentration, timing, and background. We propose a novel strategy for encoding intensity-invariant stimuli identity that is based on…
A recent paper in a prominent science magazine claims to show that humans can discriminate at least 1 trillion odors. The authors reached that conclusion after performing just 260 comparisons of two smells, of which about half could be…
The mechanism by which odorants are recognized by olfactory receptors remains primarily unresolved. While charge transport is believed to play a significant role, its precise nature is still unclear. Here, we present a novel perspective by…
Given the structure of a novel molecule, there is still no one who can reliably predict what odor percept that molecule will evoke. The challenge comes from both the difficulty in quantitatively characterizing molecular structure, and the…
Studies of insect olfactory processing indicate that odors are represented by rich spatio-temporal patterns of neural activity. These patterns are very difficult to predict a priori, yet they are stimulus specific and reliable upon repeated…
Predicting the relationship between a molecule's structure and its odor remains a difficult, decades-old task. This problem, termed quantitative structure-odor relationship (QSOR) modeling, is an important challenge in chemistry, impacting…
We present a model for olfactory coding based on spatial representation of glomerular responses. In this model distinct odorants activate specific subsets of glomeruli, dependent upon the odorant's chemical identity and concentration. The…
One of the key challenges to predict odor from molecular structure is unarguably our limited understanding of the odor space and the complexity of the underlying structure-odor relationships. Here, we show that the predictive performance of…
Advances in neural sensing technology are making it possible to observe the olfactory process in great detail. In this paper, we conceptualize smell from a Data Science and AI perspective, that relates the properties of odorants to how they…
Odor visualization translates odor information and perception into visual outcomes and arouses the corresponding olfactory synesthesia, surpassing the spatial limitation that odors can only be perceived where they are present. Traditional…
Olfactory perception plays a critical role in both human and organismal interactions, yet understanding of its underlying mechanisms and influencing factors remain insufficient. Molecular structures influence odor perception through…
Our sense of smell relies on sensitive, selective atomic-scale processes that are initiated when a scent molecule meets specific receptors in the nose. However, the physical mechanisms of detection are not clear. While odorant shape and…