Around the world every day, border and law enforcement officials use dogs to detect illicit drugs, explosives, cash and other substances.
With funding from the European Commission, a group of European tech companies joined forces some three years ago to create a device that could detect these substances as well as - or better than - real dogs.
While not a true acronym, Doggies means "Detection of Olfactory traces by orthoGonal Gas identification technologIES."
In tests, the Doggies prototype performed slightly better than expected, and is the first device made that can identify such a wide variety of odours.
When it is working properly the Doggies device can even differentiate between euro and US dollar banknotes. The device can also detect amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and hidden people.
Gas analysis tech from Finland
One of the thirteen firms involved in the Doggies project is the Turku-based Gasera company, which provides the sensor module technology for the device.
Gasera specialises in three main analysis technologies that reliably measure gases, liquids and solids.
The company's CEO Ismo Kauppinen says the device is particularly sensitive.
"In practice, it measures substances that secrete gaseous compounds into the air, using our analysis we can identify very low concentrations [of substances]," Kauppinen says.
While it takes only a minute to quickly identify materials, it currently takes the device some 15 minutes to finally confirm specific substances.
Dogs not losing their jobs, yet
The prototype is slower than man's best friend, at least at this stage, and dogs will continue to play an important role in law and border enforcement for some time.
Kauppinen says that it will take a lot more research for technology to catch up with Mother Nature.
"I have to give credit to biology and dogs," he says, adding that the speed and accuracy that dogs have is still "quite impossible" to achieve.
"But technology is advancing all the time," he says.
In addition to Gasera, the Doggies project involves European universities, research institutes, businesses and potential end users.