E-scent
Brief │ White Space & Black Box
Project Leader │ Setsu Ito
Project Assistant │ Fabio Menella
Group Members │ Sumit Asija, Jose Luis Falcó Moyá, Ngo Suet Mui, Giorgio Partesana
Idea | Problem Setting | Context
In an era of constant advances, what technology misses out is to trigger the emotional and human quality. Mobile communication has so far succeeded in transmitting audio and video, stimulating two of our five senses. What if communication could open now on the sense of the smell? The immediate reaction to a smell is highly emotional. Odor in fact is so closely linked with memory that people would communicate more effectively with each other if using it.
One possible evolution of telecommunication could be to enhance the multi-sensorial experience of the user. Research on evolving technology for smell suggests that new devices are going to appear on the market, such as artificial noses and smell reproducer to capture and playback the smells in digitized format.
What is it?
e-Scent is a simple portable device that would take advantage of the sense of smell to enhance the communication between people.
The device is essentially a recorder/player of smells, pretty much like a digital camera. The possibility to connect it wireless via Bluetooth to computers or mobile phones, allows managing its content, sending and receiving the information about the fragrances. This transfer can be done in real-time (i.e. during a phone call) or delayed (i.e. a file attached to an email)
In the near future, beside text, audio and video, communication will integrate an additional layer focusing on the sense of smell, which will help trigger memories and emotions.
How it works?
e-Scent is inspired by a common yet figurative appeal of the incense stick. It is composed of two parts: a stick (the portable device) and a deck (the charger with USB).
The stick has a simple design with an essential interface, given that its interaction is based on easy-to-use intuitive gestures. A sense of touch along with its form imparts the idea of the traditional incense, which is committed to memory for its function that gives off fragrant smell.
The stick is made of 3 parts which has the following functions to record, store and playback the fragrances:
1. A mode dial in its middle part enables the stick to select different modes of operation to switch off, record or play.
2. Recording is performed by pushing a soft button in its bottom part, similar to a pipette gum. A little chip is responsible of the analysis, which is to be considered as an ‘electronic nose’. When it is in contact with volatile compounds, the sensors react, which means they experience a change of electrical properties. Each sensor is sensitive to all volatile molecules but each in their specific way.
3. Storing is virtually unlimited since the quantity of data to describe a fragrance is rather small.
4. Playback is triggered by a touch slider in its top part, which also regulates the intensity of the fragrance. The emulate fragrance is obtained by heating and mixing different solid substances, which come in a cartridge to be refilled when it is consumed. When connected to a device, ‘e-Scent’ is driven externally and plays the fragrance from the device. As a standalone, it can be playback 5 favourite fragrances.
Internal data of the stick can be synchronizing an external system (computer or mobile phone) via Bluetooth protocol. Besides, it can be connected to the socket, which used as a support for computer, to transfer data via USB and as a charger for the batteries of the stick.
Value & Potential
Smell as the new layer of communication could become a new revolution of a kind, likewise what sound did to the movies in the silent era. From generating more personal and emotional interaction, to enhancing trade ventures like for coffee or wine connoisseurs, the smell technology could be the next level of enhanced mobile interface.
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