Demo of an Olfactory Game Using Paired Odors to Increase the Odor Range, Enabling Immersive Olfactory Experience in VR Environments

Abstract

Olfaction is a key human sense, but olfactory human interface technologies are not yet so common compared to visual and auditory devices. Recently, the utilization of olfactory stimuli in digital contexts has been attracting wider attention especially in the VR field. Although those trials aim at enhancing the quality of the virtual environment, many of them have limitations in the range and precise control of odor types. This research focuses on creating virtual environments incorporating olfactory display technology with a wide range of odor types and precise temporal control of scent emissions. In our scented virtual game, users navigate landscapes to collect the scents. The 3D environments include multiple scent sources enhancing interaction, providing additional sensory experience encountered through the head-mount display (HMD), enabling user engagement and developing experience with scent detection.