An information processing apparatus (20) includes a use environment information acquisition unit (210), a model selection unit (220), and a prediction unit (230). The use environment information acquisition unit (210) acquires use environment information indicating a use environment of a physical system having input-output. The model selection unit (220) selects, from a storage unit storing a plurality of prediction models of the physical system in association with section information indicating a section based on the use environment, a prediction model being associated with section information of a section matching the use environment indicated by the use environment information. The prediction unit (230) performs prediction based on output of the physical system by use of the selected prediction model.

An odor analysis system is provided to analyze odors present at a particular location and perform a preliminary identification of the odors while still at the location. The odor analysis system can have an odor processing device that collects samples of the odors and provides a series of odor notes to a user. The odor notes can be based on the separated and concentrated molecules in the collected sample. The odor analysis system can also include a hand-held computing device with a user interface that permits the user to enter information, both verbally and through touch input, about the series of odor notes provided by the odor processing device. The information entered by the user about the series of odor notes along with retention index information about the series of odor notes can be to perform a preliminarily identification of the molecules associated with the odors present at the location.

The odor exploration method explores an odor based on odor information generated using a plurality of sensor elements each outputting a detection signal according to the state of adsorption by indicating an adsorption reaction unique to each odor substance, and an arithmetic unit generating the odor information by quantifying each detection signal from the sensor elements. The method includes a detection step detecting a first gas containing odor substances, a generation step generating a first odor information group generated based on a detection result of the first gas, a preparation step preparing a second odor information group generated based on a detection of a second gas, and a calculation step calculating a sum of or a difference between the second odor information group and the first odor information group based on a sum of or difference between the odor information generated for the first gas and for the second gas using the same sensor element.

A management server obtains rating information indicating a second user's rating of a dish or restaurant, generates a first evaluation value of the first user's sense of taste based on a measurement test regarding the sense of taste, and generates a second evaluation value of the second user's sense of taste based on a measurement test regarding the sense of taste. One search filter for filtering dishes or restaurants based on rating results of the dishes or the restaurants rated by a second user who has a sense-of-taste characteristic similar to that of the first user is provided on a dish search screen. When the first user uses the search filter to filter dishes or restaurants, and when a first difference between the first and second evaluation values is in a first predetermined range, the second user's rating results are used to filter the dishes or the restaurant.

The invention provides a system for evaluating food flavors based on a gas, including a multi-gas sensing module and an odor information processing module. The sensing module includes a colorimetric gas sensing chip for reacting with odor molecules emitted by the food to be evaluated to form a coloring reaction, and the sensing module generates a color image respectively corresponding to coloring reaction according to the coloring reaction. The processing module is communicatively connected with the sensing module and includes an image acquisition unit for converting the color image into an odor information, a database unit including a plurality of identification information, and an arithmetic unit perform a calculation to form a result for evaluating the food flavors based on the plurality of identification information and the color image. The user can judge the actual condition of foods according to the result for evaluating the food flavors.

An apparatus includes a first flow channel connected to a gas release channel of a gas chromatograph that sends at least a volatile component separated by the gas chromatograph into the mouth of an evaluator; a container that stores a non-gaseous flowable specimen having fluidity; and a second flow channel that sends the flowable specimen into the mouth.

A system and method for concurrently measuring odorant concentration and also compensating for changes in relative air density when measuring odor intensity levels may be used to provide more accurate and reliable readings from an odorometer. Odorometers typically measure the concentration of a given target gas in a gas-air mixture. Because changes in air density make it difficult to accurately determine how much air is in the gas-air mixture sample, a method of compensating for changes in the air density is able to produce a more accurate concentration reading. By measuring the relative temperature and pressure of the air at calibration and when a particular reading is taken, the final reading can be corrected to account for changes in the air density. By correlating the odor intensity readings with odorant concentration readings a wide array of advantages may be realized.

An odor analysis system is provided to analyze odors present at a particular location and perform a preliminary identification of the odors while still at the location. The odor analysis system can have an odor processing device that collects samples of the odors and provides a series of odor notes to a user. The odor notes can be based on the separated and concentrated molecules in the collected sample. The odor analysis system can also include a hand-held computing device with a user interface that permits the user to enter information, both verbally and through touch input, about the series of odor notes provided by the odor processing device. The information entered by the user about the series of odor notes along with retention index information about the series of odor notes can be to perform a preliminarily identification of the molecules associated with the odors present at the location.

A management server obtains rating information indicating a second user's rating of a dish or restaurant, generates a first evaluation value of the first user's sense of taste based on a measurement test regarding the sense of taste, and generates a second evaluation value of the second user's sense of taste based on a measurement test regarding the sense of taste. One search filter for filtering dishes or restaurants based on rating results of the dishes or the restaurants rated by a second user who has a sense-of-taste characteristic similar to that of the first user is provided on a dish search screen. When the first user uses the search filter to filter dishes or restaurants, and when a first difference between the first and second evaluation values is in a first predetermined range, the second user's rating results are used to filter the dishes or the restaurant.

Disclosed herein are devices and related methods for identifying odorants using a combination of light sources which enable discrimination between different odorants and/or determination of odorant concentration. The response of a chemical sensor to one or more odorants is observed under a combination and/or sequence of light sources, and the resulting data is subsequently analyzed using machine learning methods to identify one or more odorants and/or to determine the concentration of one or more odorants.