FT Tech

Sniff technology: detecting everything from drugs to diseases

It could be the Shazam of smells. A California-based start-up has developed a device to sniff out substances such as drugs, explosives and viruses. Sniff tech is a burgeoning sector which could have major implications in fields including healthcare and security but may also raise issues over individual privacy. The FT’s Patrick McGee takes a trip to the lab and gets a good whiff of how the future might smell.

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FT Channels, a partnership destination that combines impactful and enriching multimedia content to spark curiosity and encourage discovery. Each vertical brings expert insights from the Financial Times and our Partners into the most pressing issues of our time.


FT Tech is a video channel exploring emerging technologies in sectors from financial services, retail and utilities to energy, manufacturing, telecoms and healthcare. The channel combines independent reporting by FT journalists with expert insights from next generation digital service provider, Infosys.