
Animals that sniff out TB, cancer and landmines - wellokthen
http://mosaicscience.com/story/rats-and-dogs-medical-detection-animals-smell-TB-cancer
======
bayesianhorse
For some years I've been thinking about how to use modern machine learning and
artificial intelligence in animal training. Most "automated" uses of animal
training involve lab animals pressing some buttons, but it should be possible
to teach a mouse/rat to visit a particular place in a cage, or hold a certain
pose, sniff out something, or a parrot to hum a tune.

But it would also require an algorithm to score "progress" toward a multi
dimensional training goal and encode that into binary reward/no reward
signals.

------
mynegation
Article is about mammals' sense of smell. However, following wikipedia trail I
was surprised to know that bees and wasps are also used for that purpose.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenoptera_training](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenoptera_training)

