Olfactometer
instrument used to detect and measure odor dilution
An olfactometer is an instrument used to detect and measure odor dilution. Olfactometers are used in conjunction with human subjects in laboratory settings, most often in market research, to quantify and qualify human olfaction. Olfactometers are used to gauge the odor detection threshold of substances. To measure intensity, olfactometers introduce an odorous gas as a baseline against which other odors are compared.
Many scientists use the term "olfactometer" to refer to a device used to study insect behavior in presence of an olfactory stimulus. It consists of a tube with a bifurcation (with "T" or "Y" shape) where an insect walks and decides between two choices, usually clean air versus air carrying an odor. This is why this device is also called dual choice olfactometer.
Alternatively, an olfactometer is a device used for producing aromas in a precise and controlled manner.
Flow-olfactometer
Description
According to Lindstrom et al, continuous flow olfactometers enable very fast onset and offset timing, thereby creating a nice, square-shaped stimulus presentation. In these designs, air flows continuously through or over the odor source and is then transported via tubing to the subject.
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This entry incorporates text from “Olfactometer” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.