Study of real-time visualization of gas/odor flow image using gas sensor array

A new method to find a gas/odor source is proposed. A portable homogeneous gas sensor array is used to visualize the flow of a target gas. The direction of a gas source is estimated using a real-time image processing algorithm, and the source is located by following the estimated direction. The design of the sensor array has been performed using the simulation technique developed in the previous study. In the designing process, a virtual sensor array with an arbitrary time constant is placed in a dynamic gas distribution field visualized using a tracer such as smoke of joss sticks. The virtual sensor array behavior, which is much slower than the gas concentration change, is then calculated by inputting the optical data, captured by a video camera, to the sensor dynamics model. As a result, the designed system has been found effective through the simulation.