Sense of Smell Can Be Enhanced With Radio Wave Brain Stimulation

Radio waves may restore smell, offering hope for COVID-19 and age-related smell loss.

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A five-minute treatment with radio waves can bring back the ability to smell roses or savor a morning cup of coffee—at least temporarily—according to new research from South Korea that marks the first time scientists have improved human smell using electromagnetic waves.

“Our research introduces the concept of electroceuticals—using bioelectronic stimulation as therapy—as a new and promising approach in this field,” Yongwoo Jang, study author and professor with the Department of Pharmacology at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea, told The Epoch Times.

The discovery potentially opens the way for new therapies to restore the sense of smell for people who have lost it—a condition called anosmia—due to aging, injury, or COVID-19.

A Painless, Drug-Free Treatment

The treatment involves directing 2.45-gigahertz radio waves—the same frequency used in microwave ovens—through the forehead to directly stimulate smell-related nerves deep in the brain, requiring no drugs or surgery.

According to the new study, recently published in APL Bioengineering, volunteers with a normal sense of smell had a small radio antenna placed near, but not touching, their foreheads, for five minutes. The antenna emitted radio waves that reached the smell-related nerves deep in the brain.

When we smell something, it’s because odor molecules generate nerve signals in the olfactory bulb of the brain, and radio waves can pass through the forehead to directly stimulate these nerves, leading to enhanced sensitivity to odors, Jang said.

Before and after the treatment, participants were asked to smell scents from 16 “Sniffin' Sticks,” devices that dispense faint odors such as diluted alcohol or fruit scents. These sticks dispensed fruit odors at increasing concentrations.

Prior to the brain stimulation, participants, on average, could detect scent in about seven to 12 of the 16 devices. After stimulation, the average scent detection increased to 15.88, meaning participants could detect scent in nearly all 16 sticks—an almost perfect score.

“In our study, a single, five-minute stimulation at 15 watts and 2.45 gigahertz led to a measurable improvement in the sense of smell that lasted for about a week,” Jang said.

He noted that the study represents the first time a person’s sense of smell has been improved using radio waves without any physical contact or chemicals, and the first attempt to explore radio frequency stimulation as a potential therapy for neurological conditions.

Existing anosmia treatments depend heavily on the underlying cause and often provide limited relief.

“Medications like steroid sprays or surgery can help those with sinus-related inflammation,” said Dr. Sonya Marcus, an otolaryngologist and rhinologist at Stony Brook Medicine who was not involved in the study. “Another treatment is smell training—regularly practicing with strong scents such as coffee, citrus, or spices—which shows promise in helping the brain ’re-learn' smell after viral loss.”

However, for patients with smell loss from head trauma or neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, “recovery can be more limited,” Marcus said.

The Broader Effect of Smell Loss

Losing one’s sense of smell can be “surprisingly disruptive,” Marcus said, affecting far more than just the ability to smell food.

Smell is closely connected to how we enjoy food, she said, and people with impaired smell can experience reduced appetite or unintended weight changes.

“It also affects safety—people might not notice smoke, gas leaks, or spoiled food,” Marcus said.

Beyond practical concerns, anosmia can have a serious emotional effect, leading to social withdrawal, anxiety, or depression.

The new radio-wave technique could eventually benefit not only those with smell dysfunction but also professionals who depend on subtle aromatic distinctions, such as perfumers, chefs, and coffee tasters, Jang said.

Jang emphasized that the treatment is completely noninvasive, safe, and causes no skin overheating or discomfort. His team now plans clinical trials with patients who have olfactory dysfunction.

“We are upgrading our device from a patch antenna to a design that can deliver more targeted stimulation,” Jang said. “We expect to complete these trials later this year and aim to share the results in early 2026.”

The researchers plan to test the treatment on people with complete or partial smell loss to see if it can provide real benefits for patients.

Study Missing Critical Details, Expert Says

While calling the findings “very interesting,” Dr. Brian D'Anza of Case Western Reserve University, who was not involved in the research, said he was not satisfied with the methodology.

The study leaves key questions remaining about whether the results can be replicated by other scientists and whether proper randomization was used to avoid bias, according to D'Anza.

D'Anza also noted that the study used entirely healthy subjects, and said that while that is useful to show that some smell can be stimulated, it is a “far cry” from being able to treat patients with no or reduced smell.

“So, while the study seems novel, there are a number of questions and follow-up studies that need to be done,” D'Anza said.

“Safety studies also need to be done when it comes to any new intervention to make sure short- and long-term impacts aren’t harmful or more debilitating than the smell loss itself.”