The Real ICT Scent Collar

The prototype drawings of the earlier article on a mobile, personal scent delivery system are realized in the ICT Scent Collar.


(From Could Olfactory Displays Improve Data Visualization? pdf)

The original intent of the designers was to explore the question of whether olfactory effects play a crucial role in certain training environments, like training for fire fighters and medical personnel. It is also thought that it might be possible to work around the hard-wired limit to human information processing (the famous 5 [or 7] plus or minus 2 rule).

Olfaction also plays an important role in learning and memory. Adding an olfactory component to a learning environment could reduce stress, improve performance, reduce response times and increase recall, among other possible improvments.

Various companies have been at work in this area:

  • DigiScents developed the iSmell device; they thought that it might be possible to develop "phonemes" of smell from which all scents might be produced. Bankrupted in 2001,
  • Aromajet has a kiosk system that lets users create custom scents.
  • ScentAir has focused on retail ambient odors; they developed the ScentKiosk Scent Dispenser.
  • Trisenex created the ScentDome with 20 different scents in its scent cartridge.
The ICT Scent Collar is unique in that it is wirelessly controlled via BlueTooth from a simulation or game. Cartridges are refillable, for different scent configurations in different environments. It should be pointed out that use within a training environment or simulation is the sole intended use of the device.

Read more in the Scent Collar Brochure (pdf) and the Olfactory Displays Data Visualization pdf. Thanks also to readers who brought this up!

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