LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Osh Agabi’s Invention Could Smell Danger Ahead

What if a computer could smell danger before a human even knew it was there?

That question sits at the heart of the work of Nigerian-born scientist Oshiorenoya “Osh” Agabi, founder and CEO of California-based biotechnology company Koniku.

Raised in Lawanson, Lagos, Agabi studied physics at the University of Lagos before continuing his education and research in Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. His career has crossed robotics, neuroscience and bioengineering, but his most fascinating work brings biology and computers together.

At Koniku, Agabi and his team have developed technology that combines engineered biological cells with electronics to detect and identify smells. Its best-known system, Konikore, is designed to recognise particular airborne chemicals and turn that information into digital data.

Think of it as giving a machine something close to a nose.

The potential applications are enormous. Such technology could help detect explosives and dangerous chemicals and improve security in places such as airports and industrial facilities. Koniku has previously worked with Airbus on aviation-security applications.

What makes Agabi’s story remarkable is where his thinking begins: rather than simply making computers imitate biology, why not actually use biology?