# Inscentinel

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**Inscentinel** was a British firm based at [Rothamsted Experimental Station](/source/Rothamsted_Experimental_Station) in [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire). They specialise in the development of [insect olfaction](/source/Olfactory_receptor_neuron#Insects) technologies[1][2] for the detection of trace chemicals, specifically [Hymenoptera training](/source/Trained_hymenoptera#Odour_detection) techniques and technologies.

## History

Inscentinel was founded in 2000, and was a spin-out resulting from a [joint venture](/source/Joint_venture) project between [Unilever](/source/Unilever)[3] and Rothamsted Research.[4] The firm was backed with [venture capital](/source/Venture_capital),[5][6] funding from the [British Government](/source/British_Government), and other investment.

## Technology

Conventionally, detection of chemicals at low [vapour pressures](/source/Vapor_pressures) has been based on [mass spectrometry](/source/Mass_spectrometry), [gas chromatography](/source/Gas_chromatography) and the use of [sniffer dogs](/source/Sniffer_dogs). [Insect olfaction](/source/Insect_olfaction) is sensitive down to [parts per trillion](/source/Parts_per_trillion)[7] and the use of insects to conduct searches for [illegal drugs](/source/Illegal_drugs), and explosives[8]—particularly in [security](/source/Airport_security)[9] applications such as [demining](/source/Demining)—is envisaged.[10] The technology has been tested by [QinetiQ](/source/QinetiQ) for [Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining](/source/Geneva_International_Centre_for_Humanitarian_Demining).[11] Potential health uses are also reported,[12] such as for [TB](/source/Tuberculosis).[13] Inscentinel is a patent holder.[14][15] The species of bee used is *[Apis mellifera](/source/Apis_mellifera)*.[16]

## External links

- [Insect olfaction demonstration video](http://www.aol.com/video/how-honey-bees-can-recognize-explosives/416309516/)

## References

1. ["Inscentinel Ltd"](http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Inscentinel+Ltd). *USA Today Website*. USA Today. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["sniffer bees"](http://news.cnet.com/2300-1008_3-6207111-10.html). *CNet News*. Cnet. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Pearson Matthews Research & Development"](http://www.pmuk.com/research_development/inscentinel_explosive_bees.html). *PMUK Website*. PMUK. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Companies associated with Rothamsted Research"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120422024511/http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/Content.php?Section=IntoPractice&Page=AssociatedCompanies). *Rothamsted Research Website*. Rothamsted Research. Archived from [the original](http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/Content.php?Section=IntoPractice&Page=AssociatedCompanies) on 22 April 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["OT3 Annual Statement"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151001204149/http://www.oxfordtechnology.com/admin/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/vct3/1/OT3_Annual_Statement_2009.pdf). *Oxford Technology 3 Annual Statement*. Archived from [the original](http://www.oxfordtechnology.com/admin/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/vct3/1/OT3_Annual_Statement_2009.pdf) on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Portfolio - Environmental Technologies"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120219220557/http://www.midven.co.uk/portfolio.asp?cat=2). *Midven Website*. Midven. Archived from [the original](http://www.midven.co.uk/portfolio.asp?cat=2) on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Inscentinel Develops Bee-Based Sensor Device to Detect Explosives"](http://www.azosensors.com/News.aspx?newsID=2477). *AZO Sensors website*. AZO sensors. April 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Sniffer bees set to snare suicide bombers"](https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/sniffer-bees-set-to-snare-suicide-bombers-7184535.html). *This is London Website*. This Is London. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713044605/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23376248-sniffer-bees-set-to-snare-suicide-bombers.do) 13 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. Hutchinson, Alex. ["Bees vs. Bombs"](http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/article/bees-vs-bombs-2011-08-01). *Popular Mechanics*. Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Inscentinel Honeybees Sniff For Explosives: Science Fiction in the NewsInscentinel Honeybees Sniff For Explosives: Science Fiction in the News"](http://www.scienceprofiles.com/2011/07/07/inscentinel-honeybees-sniff-for-explosives-science-fiction-in-the-news/). *Science Profiles Website*. Science Profiles. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Pre-Trial Assessment (PTA) of the Inscentinel system using bees for detection of explosives."](https://archive.today/20130112184209/http://www.gichd.org/index.php?id=3877&tx_displaycontroller%5Btable%5D=tx_lima_domain_model_project&tx_displaycontroller%5BshowUid%5D=126&cHash=f2a530b93894ce8ed196902d72818e5). *GICHD Website*. GICHD. Archived from [the original](http://www.gichd.org/index.php?id=3877&tx_displaycontroller%5Btable%5D=tx_lima_domain_model_project&tx_displaycontroller%5BshowUid%5D=126&cHash=f2a530b93894ce8ed196902d72818e5) on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Bees Can Sniff Out Disease in Humans"](http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/203161/Bees-can-sniff-out-disease-in-humans-Bees-can-sniff-out-disease-in-humans-Bees-can-sniff-out-disease-in-humans-Bees-can-sniff-out-disease-in-humans-Bees-can-sniff-out-disease-in-humans-Bees-can-sniff-out-disease-in-humans-Bees-can-sniff-out-disease-in-humans). *Daily Express Website*. Express Group Newspapers. 3 October 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Null Hypothesis | News"](http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/article/1326)

1. ["Detection of odors using insects"](http://patents.justia.com/2007/07237504.html). *Justia Patents Website*. Justia. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. ["Insect Loading System"](http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2011/0180003.html). *PatentStormUS*. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

1. Khot, Anna (10 January 2010). ["Humble Honey Bee Helping National Security"](http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/humble-honey-bee-in-national-security/). *Naked Scientists Website*. Naked Scientists. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Inscentinel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inscentinel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inscentinel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.