# S5E48 Kordel France | Olfactory AI

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2024-11-29
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 48
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai

## Summary

Kordel France, an AI architect currently working at Toyota, discusses the nascent field of machine olfaction, or teaching robots to smell. He explains that while applications in automotive HVAC, aerospace leak detection, and quality control are promising, reliable consumer-grade olfactory AI is likely 10 years away due to a lack of data standards and complex aerodynamic challenges. France highlights the difficulty of detecting air molecules amidst environmental noise and argues for the need to integrate AI with precise mechanical hardware to create robust sensors.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=0) Introduction: Kordel France and the concept of digitizing scent
- [1:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=77) France's background: Farm life, self-driving tractors, and early engineering interest
- [5:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=315) The asymmetry of olfaction: Why smell lacks the investment of vision or audio
- [8:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=531) Current state of olfaction: Gaps in technology and lack of data standards
- [12:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=762) Automotive applications: HVAC, battery leak detection, and scent-based navigation
- [17:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=1061) AI fundamentals: Math, statistics, and the challenge of learning from minimal data
- [20:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=1234) Defining the data standard: Spectrograms, chemical reactions, and vibration theories
- [26:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=1569) Human vs. Digital Quality Control: Master perfumers and the 'sexing chickens' analogy
- [30:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=1802) Technical hurdles: Aerodynamics, chaos theory, and environmental compensation
- [37:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=2221) Integrating AI with hardware: The importance of early, bulletproof testing strategies
- [42:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-29-s5e48-kordel-france-olfactory-ai#t=2568) Leadership lessons: Stepping aside, trusting teams, and managing investor control

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Toyota (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Elon Musk (other)
- Neuralink (company)
- Tesla (company)
- ChatGPT (product)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Detecting Scents & Smells With IoT Sensors | Altered Carbon's Ali Rohafza](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2022-02-17-detecting-scents-smells-with-iot-sensors-altered-carbons-ali-rohafza) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Machine Vision: Seeing is Believing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-05-14-machine-vision-seeing-is-believing) (EE Times Current)
- [Episode 49: CES Semiconductor Trends, Where was AI? 2024 Outlook](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-01-16-episode-49-ces-semiconductor-trends-where-was-ai-2024-outlook) (The Circuit)
- [CES 2019 Special: Day 1 recap with Brian Santo, Editor-in-Chief of EDN](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-12-ces-2019-special-day-1-recap-with-brian-santo-editor-in-chief-of-edn) (EE Times Current)
- [Self-Driving Skeptic | Supercharged PCI | Sensors Everywhere | Edge AI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-06-28-self-driving-skeptic-supercharged-pci-sensors-everywhere-edge-ai) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

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