Method for preparing original data of odor image

A method for preparing original data of an odor image in which the original data for representing an odor of a sample including an odor substance in an image is prepared, the method comprising:

• a measurement result acquiring step of acquiring each measurement result measured with respect to the odor substance included in the sample in each of a plurality of sensor elements included in an odor sensor, in a state in which each of the measurement results is associated with each of the plurality of sensor elements, by using the odor sensor;
• and
• a data processing step of generating the original data for representing the odor of the sample in the image by processing each of the acquired measurement results, the original data being associated with each of the plurality of sensor elements,
• wherein the odor sensor is configured to output a change in physical, chemical, or electrical characteristics as the measurement result, the change being caused by a difference of adsorption amount of an odor substrate adsorbed on the plurality of sensor elements,
• wherein each of the plurality of sensor elements has different detection properties with respect to the odor substance,
• wherein the data processing step further comprises a difference calculation sub-step of calculating a difference between a first extremal value and a second extremal value after the first extremal value,
• wherein the original data respectively corresponds to said calculated difference, and
• wherein, in the data processing step, in a case where each of the original data items is represented in a small image corresponding to each of the sensor elements, the original data is generated such that the odor of the sample is represented in an image in a predetermined display mode in which a plurality of small images are assembled, and each of the small images is varied in accordance with a magnitude of a value of each original data item.