ARTIFICIAL OLFACTION: Biological perception, digital encoding, and chemical reproduction of the sense of smell

The ability to reproduce reality has so far only been possible for vision or sound, but the impact on our daily life has been dramatic. Recording and reproducing other senses will likely have tremendous additional applications. Here, we will combine molecular biology with computer science to capture the sense of smell, convert it into a digital signal, and replicate it using a standardized set of odorants. This approach will revolutionize the way we communicate and experience our environment, and will have profound implications for the entertainment, communication, cosmetics, food, and beverage industries.