Scientists are developing virtual reality technology that allows you to not only see but also smell augmented 3D environments.
Engineers from Beihang University in China and Citi University in Hong Kong have created a futuristic earphone that can emit 30 different scents to the wearer, including coffee, waffles and ethanol.
Stranger than fiction, the project aims to unleash a unique experience for VR users by expanding the range of “physical experiences” they can have while playing.
He added: ‘Smell plays an important role in human perceptual experiences, and is just as important as vision and hearing.’
The team’s pioneering technique uses small pads filled with paraffin wax, infused with perfume, which are heated by an attached electrode, to release the scent.
Wireless scent generators, called OGs, can be placed directly under a user’s nose.
Another design proposed by the team has the user wearing a face mask.
The study suggests that odor generators could be used outside of augmented virtual reality games, including to enhance the experience of distance learning classrooms.
Engineers have also suggested using the device to help amnesia patients recover lost memories.
