On June 20, 2025, during the 22nd Long Night of Science, the Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology at TU Dresden invited the public to experience how machines can smell—and even out-sniff us! Visitors of all ages engaged with five interactive digital olfaction stations that combined nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and chemistry to unlock the mysteries of scent.
Here’s what they discovered:
Station 1- The Digital Nose: What's in Your Cup?
Get ready to meet our digital nose! This smart sensor can “sniff” drinks just like you do—but even better. Whether it’s coffee, tea, juice, or soda, our electronic nose tells them apart by analyzing scent molecules. Can you guess the drink faster than the sensor?
Responsible: Shirong Huang, Helin Sun
Station 2 – Nose 2.0: The Digital Way to Smell
Step into the future with Nose 2.0, a rotating sensor system powered by nanotechnology. This upgraded electronic nose mimics how humans detect smells using multiple sensing channels—demonstrating how materials science helps decode scent digitally.
Responsible: Li Chen, Alexandra Parichenko
Station 3 – Trace Trackers: The Robot Scent Squad
Meet our robot dog with a nose for adventure! This autonomous scent-tracking robot follows invisible odor trails—just like a search-and-rescue pup. Whether for safety missions or finding cookies, this sniffing bot shows how machines are learning to track smells.
Responsible: Rebecca Miko, Jakub Zdobych
Station 4 – The Molecular Wonders of Odors: Build Your Own Odor Molecule!
Smell it, build it, wear it! At this creative station, visitors explored the molecular structure of common odors and built their own scent molecules—then turned them into wearable pins to take home.
Responsible: David Bodesheim, Aleksander Szewczyk
Station 5 – Odor Memory Game
Test your nose and memory with “The Nose Remembers”! Match scents from sniffing sticks with images in a unique olfactory memory challenge that highlights how our brains connect smells to memories.
Responsible: Florian Pump
These five scent-focused stations revealed how TU Dresden’s researchers are building the next generation of electronic noses—with applications ranging from food safety and environmental sensing to healthcare and robotics.
A heartfelt thank-you to all the curious visitors, young scientists, and scent sleuths who made the evening so unforgettable.
We can’t wait to welcome you back for more!
