Can dogs sniff cancer? In Bengaluru, India, researchers are combining dogs’ extraordinary sense of smell with artificial intelligence to explore a new way of detecting cancer.
At Dognosis, dogs including Chloe and Rose are being trained to sniff human samples while sensors track their respiratory patterns, brain activity and movements. Machine-learning models then analyse how the dogs respond to different odours.
The experimental approach aims to explore whether dogs could eventually help develop a non-invasive cancer detection test.
The technology includes a 3D-printed helmet and sensor-equipped harness, while a controlled “Sniffspace” allows researchers to monitor dogs as they examine samples.
Researchers say dozens of peer-reviewed studies have explored dogs detecting cancer and other diseases through smell. But major challenges remain — including consistency between dogs and scaling the process to handle large numbers of samples.
Watch how Bengaluru’s Dognosis team is combining canine noses, sensors and AI in the search for a new approach to cancer detection.