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SMELLIT could someday bring Smell-o-vision to a nose near you
We used to joke about Smell-o-Vision, but now Portuguese designer Nuno Teixeira shows us how it might work in this design concept. His idea is called SMELLIT, and it brings contextual fragrances to viewers' noses via 118 aroma cartridges, each triggered by reading "smell information" embedded in a DVD.
About 20 seconds before, say, a character in a movie begins eating popcorn, the SMELLIT uses its digital smell technology (DST) to start cranking out a corresponding odor. Then that aroma — or stench, as the case may be — wafts into the room, propelled by a small on-board fan.
Nuno doesn't mention if all those odors will be pleasant, but judging from one of the pics in the gallery below, it looks like anything goes in the gut-wrenching aroma department. Imagine using the SMELLIT on a movie like Slumdog Millionaire — you know the scene we're talking about.
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Behance, via Gizmowatch
By jjjodiez at 6:01 PM ON 02/12/09
I wonder how space smells on this when watching Star Wars?
By Anonymous at 6:29 PM ON 02/12/09
Anyone else remember the iSmell prototypes made by Digiscents? Alas, the company folded before production, delaying the day we can get spam in our e-mail and smell it from across the room.
By Random Hero at 6:55 PM ON 02/12/09
I can't and don't want to know what it would be like to watch a porn with this thing. :D
Also if your watching, let's say, Family Guy and Peter rips one of his trademark farts.
On the other hand, my television would probably be permanently set to the Food Network.
By hippiemaniac420 at 12:21 AM ON 02/13/09
To: Random Hero:
I dunno about a porno or Family Guy, but I was thinking more like Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs, and the characteristic "smelly" situations that Mike Rowe gets himself into (i.e. dirty diapers, landfills, etc.)
But I have to agree, my tv would be permanently set to the Food Network as well.
By Smell o Vision at 7:02 PM ON 02/14/09
So can this smell o vision device only work with DVDs or can it be connected to your PC/mac?
I agree with HIPPIEMANIAC; the Discovery channel and other educational/documentary channels woud really benifit. I hear Sky in London UK, have been testing 3d broadcast for sports - something that may move us to the final frontier of smell.
I read somewhere a while ago that memory, especially with young whildren can be enhanced through assosiation with other sences, like feeling, smelling, seeing and tasting -Thats usually why writing something down helps remember it, because of the physical action and the assosiation. Smell-o-vision achieves the sight sound and smell senses so seems like a winner.
Smell-o-vision is going to be massive.
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Smell o Vision:
So can this smell o vision device only work with DVDs or can it be connected to your PC/mac? I agree with HIPPIEMA...More »