Milestone Ignites a New Era of Smell-Enabled Robotics
Installs AI Nose in ugo Robot; Real-World Pilots to Begin in Weeks
SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 21, 2025 / Ainos, Inc. (Nasdaq:AIMD)(Nasdaq:AIMDW) ("Ainos"), a leader in AI-powered scent digitization, has successfully installed its proprietary AI Nose olfaction module on a humanoid robot developed by ugo, Inc. ("ugo"), Japan's top service robotics company. Completed on April 9, 2025, the installation marks the world's first robot with a functional sense of smell, a breakthrough that redefines the frontier of robotics, AI, and human-machine interaction.
Ainos' AI Nose system integrates a high-precision gas sensor array, real-time signal processing, and advanced AI algorithms to digitize and identify a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or scents, into Smell IDs. This "Smell ID" is then used to detect odors and environmental conditions in a way that mirrors human olfaction. This installation represents the first time the technology has been embedded in a commercial-grade humanoid robot platform for real-world application.
ugo is widely recognized as Japan's top-ranked service robot company1, with deployment across commercial buildings, security patrol, and facility automation. The collaboration brings together ugo's robotics engineering leadership and Ainos' pioneering sensory AI to introduce a new class of intelligent robots capable of perceiving the environment not only through vision and sound - but also through smell.
"We are proud to collaborate with ugo on this historic milestone - the world's first robot with olfactory capabilities," said Chun-Hsien (Eddy) Tsai, Chairman , President and CEO of Ainos. "This marks a turning point for AI-powered sensing. With smell added to the sensory stack, robots can now understand their environments in ways previously reserved for living beings. In my opinion, it's a game-changer for healthcare, industry, and everyday life."
Mr. Ken Matsui, ugo's CEO added, "Olfaction is a key missing piece in robot perception. By integrating Ainos' AI Nose, we're giving our robots the missing sense - one that will transform how they navigate and interact with real-world spaces. This is a major leap forward for service robotics."
"We're executing with speed and precision. With just about over a month of announcing our partnership with ugo, we've moved into the installation phase, bringing AI Nose one step closer to real-world deployment. This milestone reflects our commitment to leading the digitization of scent and expanding the sensory intelligence of robotics," said Mr. Tsai.
Next Milestone: Software Integration and Real-World Training
Following the April 9 installation, Ainos and ugo are now moving into the next critical development phase, which includes:
User interface (UI) design and backend control system integration
Tuning of sensory parameters and response logic
Projected completion within 2 to 4 weeks
Once completed, the system will undergo real-world deployment tests in active environments such as commercial buildings and public spaces. This phase will include:
Real-time odor detection and safety alert demonstrations
Live data collection for deep learning and AI model training
Application development for security, elder care, hygiene monitoring, and industrial use
Smell Tech: Transforming Industry, Public Health, and Daily Life
We believe the implications of robotic smell go far beyond novelty. Ainos' AI Nose technology is poised to become a key pillar of smart infrastructure:
Smart Manufacturing: Detect gas leaks, chemical anomalies, and process deviations in real time
Workplace & Facility Safety: Identify hazardous odors or air contamination
Healthcare & Elderly Care: Monitor hygiene, infections, or early disease indicators in medical environments
Consumer Applications: Potential uses in smart homes, pet care, food freshness, and personal wellness
AI Completeness: With olfaction, robots gain a critical missing sense, enabling true multisensory AI capable of more intuitive and intelligent decision-making
About Ainos, Inc.
Headquartered in San Diego, California, Ainos, Inc. develops disruptive medical and healthcare solutions based on its proprietary AI Nose and VELDONA® technologies. The name "Ainos" combines "AI" and "Nose" to signify the Company's commitment to enabling AI with the ability to smell and individuals to live healthier. The Company's clinical-stage product pipeline includes AI-driven, telehealth-friendly POCT solutions powered by AI Nose, VELDONA® human and animal oral therapeutics, and human orphan drugs. To learn more, visit https://www.ainos.com. Follow Ainos on X, formerly known as Twitter, (@AinosInc) and LinkedIn to stay up-to-date.
About ugo, Inc.
ugo, Inc. is a Japanese robotics manufacturer that specializes in business DX robots that combine remote operation and automatic control via AI. They are designed to flexibly respond to different facilities and tasks at each site, such as security, inspection, and guidance. In business areas where labor shortages are serious, ugo supports the continuity and efficiency of operations, as well as the realization of digital transformation, not as a replacement for people but as a "partner that works with people."
1.Fuji Keizai Group's "2024 Edition: Current Status and Future Prospects of the Worldwide Robot-Related Market - Service Robot Edition" published on January 15, 2024.
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