Radio Waves Shown to Amplify Sense of Smell

By Stephanie Feuer

Researchers from South Korea introduced a simple and painless way to improve our sense of smell using radio waves.

The study, published in APL Bioengineering, exposed 28 volunteers with normal olfactory ability to radio waves for five minutes, using a small radio antenna placed on their foreheads. Radio frequency (RF) waves, like those in an MRI machine, can penetrate tissue and bone. In this study, they were deployed to stimulate the olfactory nerves.  

The volunteers’ ability to detect very faint odors, like diluted alcohol or fruit scents, was tested with Sniffin’ Sticks before and after the RF treatment. The results showed a near-perfect odor threshold test score of 15.88 6 0.25 after RF stimulation, compared to the 9.73 6 2.45 score without RF stimulation.

The team found that their method improved subjects’ sense of smell for over a week after just one treatment.

Lead author Yonwoong Jang points out that “the method is completely noninvasive — no surgery or chemicals needed — and safe, as it does not overheat the skin or cause discomfort.” 

Based on these findings, the researchers suggest that RF stimulation has great potential for olfactory dysfunction treatment and management.