Scent Detection Research Group (SDRG)

The University of Waikato’s Scent Detection Research Group studies scent-detection using pet dogs, advancing science and tech to tackle real-world issues through cross-disciplinary research.

The University of Waikato's Scent Detection Research Group (SDRG) conducts basic and applied scent-detection research. Working with pet dogs from the Waikato community, the SDRG develops and evaluates technology to address socially significant problems and works to advance the science related to learning, olfaction, and odour detection. Our cross-disciplinary team has expertise in psychology, biology, chemistry, medicine, data science, and a variety of other fields.

All SDRG research is approved by the University of Waikato Animal Ethics Committee. We use positive reinforcement to train dogs to perform a variety of tasks. The dogs get a chance to play fun games and earn treats while we get the chance to study how they learn and their potential to provide us with useful information about what they are sniffing. Complementing the behavioural research, we use advanced analytical chemistry and data analysis techniques to gain insight into what the dogs are smelling and how we might develop odour-based technology. Participating dog owners in the community make this research possible, and we are grateful for their dedication to supporting our research.

Projects

Lung Cancer Detection

Evaluating dogs’ ability to detect lung cancer using an automated scent detection system designed for practical use.

Fish Detection

Testing a system for detecting invasive fish from water samples, and exploring dogs’ ability to locate threatened species in the field.

Odour Timing Perception

Studying dogs' ability to distinguish odours arriving together or slightly apart, to understand how they identify scents from the same or different sources.

Technology

Developing and adapting technology for scent-detection research and real-world applications. Learn more about the technology involved.

Our people

Volunteer your dog

Interested in volunteering your dog to support our research? We work with pet dogs from the community who are dropped off and picked up by their owners on a regular schedule, typically two or three half-days each week. Because most of our projects require extensive training periods, we are interested in working with dogs who will be available long-term.

We use a simple screening procedure to see if your dog might be suitable for one or more of our projects. If your dog is recruited and you consent to their participation, the dog also gets a say. We only work with dogs who are happy to participate, and those who are get very excited about going to “work.”

Get in touch if you would like more information about what the research involves. We would love to hear from you.