Electronic nose to fight graffiti

22 September 2008

SYDNEY — Troubles with graffiti artists may soon be a thing of the past.

Science has come up with a technological solution that is fairly inexpensive and helps police gather evidence against graffiti artists for a possible prosecution.

Australian company E-Nose Pty Ltd, a specialist in providing equipment that monitors smells, has come up with diagnostics kit that can pick out the molecules in the vapour trail of graffiti artists and alert security guards to them.

"Our device will capture those molecules and set off an alarm," E- Nose chief executive Graham Bell said.

The electronic nose fits into a space the size of a tissue box and can be camouflaged to escape the attentions of vandals. From as far as 45 metres away, it can pick up the pong of a 4-second spray of paint.

When it detects paint molecules, the device relays a wireless message that can bring security guards scurrying to the scene of the attack. In addition, the detector can gather information that police could use to prosecute those snared during a graffiti attack.

It can tell the brand of paint and the time elapsed since its manufacture.

[dpa / Expatica]