The aroma is an integral part of any item’s representation. Automobiles pay utmost attention to ensure that the user has a decent experience with the way the vehicle smells. Restaurants and Cafes have complete precautions to have their ambiance smell in a particular manner. The smell is one of those senses that’s so far out of the reach of technology. Currently, there is no way to create a scent unless the scent is entirely organic. Hence, digitally storing or sharing a smell sounds inconceivable at this point. However, the idea of the Internet of Senses introduces such extraordinary concepts, including the one for digital senses.
Aroma Of The New World With Digital Smells
The ninth edition of the Hot Consumer Trends from Ericsson ConsumerLab brings out new consumer expectations. Consumers expect that experiencing the scent digitally will be a reality within the next decade. At this rate of urbanization, there are many limitations on scents that a user gets to experience. The Internet of Senses will allow users to experience natural scents which might not be available otherwise. As a result, Digital smells will enable users to experience virtual forests or natural sights along with a sense of scents. Popularly, users believe that such a digital experience associated with scents will offer an intensely immersive experience. Similarly, it will change the outlook of social media platforms with audiovisual content.
The ability to smell a scent digitally in a video scene would take the virtual experience to the next level. Users will get the exact feel of what is going on in the actual scene. However, this is not an entirely new concept. There have been a few trials to incorporate fragrances in the scenes in the past. At that time, the right technology didn’t exist. The Internet of Senses can change that. Sense of smell can be conveyed digitally instead of depending on fragrances.
Beyond Just “Watching” The Movie
In the past, there have been attempts where movies incorporated fragrance. Those inventions produced fragrances of certain kinds with relevance to ongoing scenes in the cinema hall. In the late 1950s, Smell-O-Vision by Hans Laube was the first invention that incorporated smell emission. Similarly, a system called AromaRama was working on the same concept of emitting scents in the theater. These systems failed as the smells were reaching with delay, poorly distributed, and these smells were released with hissing noises.
The Internet of Senses can nullify the challenges of previous systems. It will eliminate issues such as scent distribution delay, lack of uniformity, and mechanical system noises. Transmitting to the brain directly, digital fragrances will not face uncertainty or noise. Users can pick the intensity of the smells that they want to feel. Based on that, Virtual Reality content such as games and digital content will benefit considerably from the digital aroma in the next decade.
Concept Of Creating Digital Smells
Digital scents currently require artificial recreation of a smell using electronic systems or chemical materials. Olfactory technology or digital scent will allow different media to store and exchange scents. These media include pictures, films, video games, music, and web apps. In addition to that, users expect that a device will be able to transform/block any unwanted smell.
Controlling The Odor With Digital Deodorants
Taking it to the next level, users also expect that they will be able to control the way they smell. These digital perfumes will allow users to download or pick their favorite smell from the Internet. Furthermore, it will also enable users to integrate and mixup fragrances to create customized scents. Such an option would potentially change the way current deodorants work. Digital deodorants will also eliminate any skin irritations or reactions in comparison to conventional fragrances.
Conclusion
To summarize, Digital smells will allow the users to smell the flowers from any picture taken across the world. Users will be able to know the smell of ammunition that detonates in a movie scene. Users would never have to worry about how they smell. In addition, the perfect ambiance will no longer be limited to lighting and sounds with digital scents. There are plenty of opportunities where digital smells can enhance the lifestyle with such small applications for end-users. Currently, available electronics noses will act as the reference for the future of digital scents. On top of this, the internet of senses will be foundational to realize such immersive applications.
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