Understanding How Digital Scents Will Work

We now spend just as much time exploring the vast realms of the Internet as we do in the physical world. Yet, despite our constant presence in front of screens, this digital domain lacks many sensory experiences. One major limitation of the online world is its lack of realism. We have five senses—sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste—but the Internet currently only engages a few of them.

When you access the web, which senses are you engaging? Vision is the most obvious one, as the Internet is mainly built around visual content. While audio elements like MP3s have gained popularity, the web is predominantly comprised of text and images. Touch also plays a role, mostly through interaction with a keyboard and mouse. However, for years, smell and taste have been neglected by online developers. But now, two American companies are working to bring the sense of smell to the digital world.

We can recognize thousands of different scents, and some researchers believe that smell can evoke vivid memories. In this edition of How Stuff Will Work, you'll discover how smells will be delivered to your desktop and explore the exciting possibilities this technology holds for the future.

Crafting a Virtual Odor

Can you envision a world without any scents? Think about all the fragrances you would miss, like the smell of freshly baked cookies, blooming flowers, or the refreshing aroma that follows a summer rain. Smell is an integral part of our experiences. Without it, we also lose the sense of taste, as our ability to taste is closely linked to our sense of smell. This scentless world exists on the Internet, but that’s soon going to change. Very soon, you'll have the option of two computer peripherals that will make your nose just as engaged in your online experience as your eyes and ears. Let’s explore these devices.

iSmell Personal Scent Synthesizer

In Oakland, California, DigiScents, Inc. is working on a digital scent device known as the iSmell. They’re aware of the humorous reactions the device’s name might provoke. Mentioning the iSmell to a friend is likely to get a laugh. However, the company aims for the device’s playful name to grab consumers’ attention and drive sales for this innovative gadget designed to transmit digitized scents via your computer.

The iSmell Personal Scent Synthesizer prototype is shaped like a shark’s fin and connects to your PC through a serial or USB port. It plugs into any standard electrical outlet. Here’s how it works:

The iSmell can produce thousands of everyday scents from a small cartridge containing 128 primary odors. These basic scents are mixed to create other smells that closely resemble common natural and synthetic odors. The scent cartridge, similar to a printer’s toner cartridge, will need to be replaced periodically to maintain scent accuracy.

DigiScents has partnered with multiple Web, interactive media, and gaming companies to bring scents to your computer. Real Networks intends to make DigiScents' ScentStream software available to over 115 million RealPlayer users. DigiScents has not yet announced the release date or pricing for the iSmell.

SENX Scent Device

TriSenx aims to take things even further by allowing users to not only download scents but also print flavors that can be tasted. Based in Savannah, Georgia, the company has developed a patented technology enabling users to print scents on thick fiber paper and taste specific flavors by licking the paper coated with the scent.

The SENX device is a printer-like desktop machine that produces scents based on data programmed into a Web page. SENX stands for Sensory Enhanced Net eXperience. Much like the iSmell, the SENX is activated by user actions. Scents and aromas are stored in a disposable cartridge within the device. This cartridge holds 20 chambers, each containing a unique scent. With a 20-chamber cartridge and a 40-palette rendition (two separate cartridges), thousands of smells can be created.

The SENX measures 5.5 inches wide, 8 inches long, and 2.5 inches tall (14 x 20 x 6.4 cm). It connects to an open external COM port on the user's computer and is powered by a 6-volt rechargeable DC battery. TriSenx is already accepting orders for the SENX, priced at $269, which includes the SenxWare Scent Design Studio Software.

Experiencing E-Smells

This digital scent technology promises to do more than just attach e-smells to your e-mails. Picture yourself watching The Patriot on your DVD player with a DigiScents device connected to it. As the Colonial army’s cannons fire, you can actually smell the gunpowder. Or, as the British forces march across the battlefield, the scent of grass will fill the air. During scenes where Benjamin Martin's (Mel Gibson) family seeks refuge in a freed slave village along the South Carolina coast, you might even smell the ocean. The goal here is to elevate the realism of movie viewing and make it a more immersive experience.

The same immersive effect could be applied to your favorite video games. While gaming consoles like PlayStation 2 already enhance the realism of graphics, a digital scent synthesizer could push this experience even further. Imagine detecting the presence of a villain by the smell before you even see them. Racing game developers could incorporate scents like burnt rubber or gasoline, making their games even more lifelike.

Before reaching movies and games, digital scents will likely first appear in Internet advertising. Similar to the scratch-and-sniff technology from a couple of decades ago, advertisers may soon incorporate digital scents to attract consumers. For instance, Coca-Cola could embed the refreshing cola smell in banner ads, triggered when users hover over them. Instantly, you might find yourself craving a Coke, making for some powerful advertising.

Consumers could also gain from this aromatic technology. With online shopping continuing to grow, customers will soon be able to smell the items they buy, such as flowers, candy, coffee, and other food products. Before you know it, you’ll be able to stop and smell the roses—without even leaving your desk.