Scientists Invent Odor Machine That Allows You To Smell Things In VR

Technology has so far been able to take three of our five senses into the virtual world, but the element of scent has remained largely a futuristic dream.
 
Now, that fantasy may be fast approaching as researchers at Malmö University and Stockholm University have discovered a way to deliver smell in a virtual-reality environment. The findings were published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies.
 
The team has devised an odor machine, known as the olfactometer, which is built with four valves that VR gamers can open and close to mix a cocktail of aromas. A tube is stuck in the middle of the knobs and is attached to a fan, sucking air through it. This allows the user to control the fragrances and the amount emitted from the olfactometer.

To test the new aroma technology out, the team has created a wine-tasting game where individuals are sent into the depths of a wine cellar and are presented with different liquors. They then have to smell and guess the correct drink as they test their inner sommelier.
 
The player will use the gadget to blend the fragrances, which can mimic the complexity and layers of real-life wine. As the game progresses, the difficulty will increase to provide more challenging and intricate bouquets for users to sniff their way through.

According to Jonas Olofsson, the research team’s leader, this technology is not only for providing a completely immersive experience for casual players but can also be used to train professional wine tasters and perfumers.
 
Another application could be for those who have been infected with COVID-19 and have lost their sense of smell. The model can help train their noses—the way doctors use scent therapy—and also offer a little entertainment at the same time. The team states that many people give up on treatment because it can get repetitive and boring. 
 
Smelling distant objects we can’t touch is something we often hear about in movies and shows, but it’s never really taken off. Prior iterations, such as ‘Smell-O-Vision’ from the 1950s, have previously failed. Now, researchers are confident that their work can make a difference in the gaming and medical sectors.

Furthermore, the team is making its findings open-source, which means that others in the game development field can use the codes and other aspects of the study for free, allowing others in the field to participate in this new frontier where we could soon get a whiff of the digital world.
 

[via TechXplorer and Stockholm University, images via various sources]