What is the technique?
Engineers from Beihang University in China and Citi University in Hong Kong have created a futuristic headset that can emit 30 different scents to the wearer, including coffee, waffles and ethanol. The project aims to launch a unique experience for virtual reality users, expanding the range of “physical experiences” they can have while playing. In a research paper, the study team emphasizes “the importance of feedback to human sensation, including vision, sound and touch, and relates it to broad applications in entertainment, processing medicine and virtual reality”. The article adds, “Olfaction plays an important role in human perceptual experiences, and it is just as important as vision and hearing.”
How are you “virtual sniffer”?
The team’s pioneering technique uses small paraffin-filled swabs, infused with fragrance, which are heated by an attached electrode, to release the fragrance. Wireless scent generators, called OGs, can be placed directly under a user’s nose. Another design proposed by the team is for the user to wear a face mask.
What are the uses of the new technology?
The study suggests that smell generators could be used outside of augmented reality games, especially to improve the experience of remote classrooms. The engineers also suggested using the device to help amnesia patients regain lost memories. Additionally, the team said that “certain scents can be used to calm users’ emotions.” In this regard, the research paper stated, “Since scents can arouse human emotions, by retrieving emotional memories, smell can be used to calm the mood of users suffering from depression or stress.”
According to the study, engineers are now aiming to reduce the size of scent generators, extend the life of scents, and reduce the delay when users switch between scents.
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