Test your sense of smell
Innovative olfactory disks for doctors. Ensure precise and effective monitoring of your patients’ sensory abilities, before and after surgery.
Why
The sense of smell is one of the most important human senses. Impaired olfactory function is a common and important symptom in rhinology and therefore also in general ENT practice. The sense of smell not only affects an individual's quality of life, but also contributes to safety by allowing them to detect hazards in the environment and at work, such as smoke and gas leaks.
The sense of smell can be impaired by various factors, such as a viral infection, chronic inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes or head trauma. Testing the sense of smell is a prerequisite for advising patients on treatment options.
To evaluate the sense of smell, a reliable and practical test is needed to determine whether or not there is a smell disorder. Such a screening test can distinguish between a normal sense of smell (normosmia) and abnormal olfactory function (hyposmia or anosmia). If the preliminary screening test reveals abnormal olfactory function, additional, more complex examinations of the sense of smell are necessary in order to make a diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment.
History
The ‘Smell Diskettes – Olfaction Test’ was developed over 25 years ago, then produced and marketed until the supply chain was no longer available.
Following a feasibility analysis in 2023, the SMELL Re-Launch project was launched. The former suppliers were no longer available and the design documents for the scent discs were missing. Therefore, based on a sample, the ‘Smell Discettes’ were relaunched with reverse engineering and redesign, and a supply chain was established.
SMELL Discettes Ltd. was founded in spring 2025 to manufacture the products and provide services related to the SMELL DISCETTES OLFACTION TEST.
Team
Prof. Dr. Daniel Simmen
KD Dr. Hansruedi Briner
Dr. Christian Reize
Hans Spichiger
Scientific publications
Olfaction in rhinology – methods of assessing the sense of smell
Olfaction after endoscopic sinus surgery: long-term results
Impaired sense of smell in patients with nasal surgery
Smell diskettes as screening test of olfaction
