Researchers hope bionic nose could help people regain smell after COVID

One study says an estimated 5.6% of people who’ve had COVID experience long-lasting issues with their sense of smell. That’s millions of people with a big problem.

Two scientists at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine might have a solution. They’re developing a bionic nose.

Here’s how it works – a small sensor that can detect smells is placed on something like a pair of glasses. That sensor would then send signals to a chip implanted on the brain. The chip then stimulates parts of the brain that process smells.

An early prototype showed promising results. However, it could still be five to 10 years before a full device is ready.

Learn about how researchers began working on this long before COVID by watching the video from NBC News.