Aroma, Olfaction & Using AI to Digitize Smell | Alex Wiltschko | #201

About the guest: Alex Wiltschko, PhD is the founder and CEO of Osmo, a startup using AI, neuroscience, and chemistry to digitize the sense of smell.

Episode summary: Nick talks to Dr. Wiltschko about: the sense of smell & olfactory perception; aroma and why certain molecules are smelled but not others; how the brain encodes odors; using AI and machine learning to create “odor maps”; designing novel scents for the fragrance industry; Osmo and its goal of digitizing the sense of smell.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice

00:00:00 Episode Intro
00:03:06 Relationship Between Biological Metabolism & Scent
00:22:20 Evolutionary Connection Between Scent & Nutrition
00:30:03 The Potential of Digitizing Smell
01:10:13 Applications in Fragrance Design & Air Quality
01:15:45 Leadership & Motivation in Business
01:33:20 Osmo's Mission & Future Plans
01:36:19 Final Thoughts