At UW Medical Center – Montlake, where he receives care, Oliver Cho displays his invention. (Courtesy: UW Medicine)
After years of barely being able to smell, 16-year-old Oliver Cho thinks he may have found a workaround: he built what he calls a “bionic nose.”
The Bellevue high school sophomore, who has chronic sinusitis, created a device that can detect gases released by spoiling food—helping him solve a problem he’s dealt with since early childhood.
Oliver Cho recently presented findings of his “bionic nose” invention at two science fairs in Washington state, earning an “Inspiring Excellence” award at one. (Courtesy: UW Medicine)
“Preschool to now, my smelling ability has been pretty bad,” he said.
His parents first noticed something was wrong when sleep issues surfaced in elementary school. Treatments helped somewhat, but in 2024 Oliver had surgery to remove sinus polyps and open his airways.
“I sleep better now, and it did help a bit with the smelling,” he said.
The idea for the device came during a casual family conversation. Using sensors that pick up gases like methane and ammonia, Oliver built a system that can flag when meat has gone bad—something he said isn’t always obvious without a sense of smell.
The project earned recognition at regional and state science fairs.
Even now, his sense of smell comes and goes. But when it does show up, it can be surprising.
“The most interesting thing I’ve smelled recently was a banana,” he said.
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