Odor Spaces

For a proper formulation of the mixing algorithm and the algorithmic processes around it, it is important to introduce the notion of odor space. Our brain carries out a similar operation when we sniff, producing a measurable electrical neuronal activity pattern. We use the term odor space for any end product of a process that represents numerically the olfactory information stored in odor ligands. Specifically, there are three kinds of odor spaces-the sniffer space, the sensory space, and the psychophysical space.

To start with, we use (o; c) to describe an odorant o in concentration c. An odor space represents (o; c) by the set of numbers d(o; c), which we call the odorant vector; the length of this vector is the dimension of the odor space.