Digital Scent Technology
computers have verified the cause of their existence. They have virtually taken over in every field of today’s fast life. Gone are the days when applications of computers were limited to official use only. Today computers have important place in every household purpose, and mainly internet has take over whole world.
There are various causes are there due to which computers have their own stand in our life. It provides such a very good facility of fast processing, sound and picture. The virtual reality concept has provided very good features to the computer systems. The computer programmers to provide more attachment to the user introduce the concept of virtual reality. There are several concepts of the virtual reality are available such as digital smell, virtual theater, electronics hand gloves, multipoint surround sound system, 3d goggles.
The digital smell is a hardware software combination. The hardware part of digital smell will produce the smell, and the software part will evaluate the smell equation and generate specific signals for specific smell and finally the device will produce that smell. The hardware device is a device like speaker, like speaker this device is also connected to the computer system. For this device, there is also a driver program which will evaluate the digital equation for generating specific gas.
Until now, online communication involved only three of our senses hearing, touch, and sight. Soon it will involve a fourth, as new technology is being developed to appeal to our sense of smell. DigiScents, an interactive media company, is creating iSmell Digital Scent Technology, new software that will enable scents to be broadcast from the Web.
The California-based company’s aims to tap into the power of scent as a communication tool. “Digi Scents combines the power of science with the fact that the sense of smell is as powerful an emotional trigger as any other sense,” the Web site states.
This new technology will make it possible to send and receive scented e-mails and to add scent elements to Web sites, to name just a few of its applications.
In feature, these devices will play very well role in our life, such as in Theater, Televisions, internet etc.
1.1 EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL SMELL
1.1.1 HOW IT WAS INVENTED
As we know that the many of the scientists has started for the virtual reality from the 5 to 6 years ago. As a virtual reality they have got a full concept as virtual theater these theaters are consists of an electronic hand gloves, digital smell, multi point surround sound system, movement controllable seats, 3d goggles. From this idea the multi point surround sound system, 3d goggles, movement controllable seats were completed. Now for the user to fill more realistic effects of movies they were introducing the very new facility of digital smell in movies or in games. For example if we are watching a movie and we see burning of tier then we will fill that smell in theater or pc or television.
The basic idea for this was given by the perfume making companies for the advertisements of their perfumes.
1.1.2 FOUNDERS
Founders Dexter Smith and Joel Lloyd Bellenson, experts in bio informatics and genomics, came up with the idea for the company while they were on South Beach. Using their scientific knowledge, they indexed and analyzed natural smells said to be common to South Beach such as flowers, salt water, and suntan lotion.
DIGITAL AROMA
Traditionally one has said that we have five senses. Of the main ones our nose is possibly the one that has more relegated in our sensitive surroundings, since all the technology and the world that surrounds to us attacks the Vista and the ear, but rare time we found some attempt to approach the sense of smell
So far, computers work with only 3 out of 5 senses.
2.1 SIGHT:
Our eyes are our windows to the world, thus it is no surprise that sight is used the most out of the five perceptual senses. This is why the visual presentation of advertisements is crucial to the success of the direct marketing campaign. In classic mass advertising, the goal is to generate awareness. An ad is placed in a magazine or on television in which the primitive components such as lines, colors, and shapes are combined to formulate a consumer’s perception. Then the consumer either imprints this perception in their mind or totally forgets about the ad. If the consumer remembers the ad and then purchases the product, the ad is a success. It is this recognition, our ability to place an object in a category and give it meaning, that mass advertisers rely upon. Direct marketing has the advantage of presenting a product or service directly to the consumer. The consumer can instantaneously recognize what the product is and what they are being asked to do. If the piece is successful then the consumer will take action and purchase the product or seek out additional information. The phase between recognition and action is where direct marketers can influence the consumer in taking the next step to make the desired response.
2.2 SOUND:
Vibrations that travel through a medium produce sound. Sound must travel through three main parts of the ear; the outer, middle and inner ear before it reaches the neural processing center of the brain.
When direct marketers are educated on how sound can affect consumer behavior it can be a very powerful tool to create effective advertisement campaigns. One aspect of sound that has always been successful in ad campaigns is the use of music. Today, music is a contributing factor to developing corporate brand identity for companies. Music fills the background and creates an identity for space. For example, British Airlines uses the new age music of Yanni to produce a sense of ethereal escape and adventure. While United Airlines uses the American musical classic, “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin to aid in creating their identity.
Today’s surround sound speakers and sound cards are extremely well developed, you can hear echoes, and pretty much tell where something is from how the sounds reach your ears.
2.3 TOUCH:
Touch is the sensory stimulation that a person feels when something comes into contact with the skin. These stimulators perceive different types of sensations including temperature, vibrations, textures etc.
Touch is a significant factor when direct marketing is involved because it plays a role in many different aspects within the effectiveness of the marketing strategy. Any direct marketing mail piece requires the consumer to physically handle paper. This simple medium is an important tool in the overall perception of the offer. Businesses can become very particular when deciding the type of paper to include the offer on. A textured paper that is heavier in weight is perceived to be of better quality then the basic thin, light-weight paper.
Very much in its infancy, force feedback game controllers give us a small sampling of touch
2.4 SMELL:
Our use of scent in the environment has currently become quite an issue in society. It has become such an issue in different regions of the world, that companies are required to carefully plan the use of scent in their direct marketing campaigns. In today’s advertising frenzy more companies are realizing that the major advantage of direct marketing is the ability to be a three-dimensional advertising medium, appealing to all five of the senses.
Sense of smell is the ability to detect odors. As humans, we are limited to the sensation of seven basic odors and their combinations. Although not as highly developed as in various other mammals, this perceptual sense can have a significant impact on how we perceive different objects and messages. Like Sherlock Holmes’ Watson says, “there’s nothing like a good sniff”. Smell is the only sense that cannot be turned off. A person smells all of the time and with every breath, as often as 20,000 times a day.
There are over 400 000 odors in the world, and it has been proven that they can significantly influence individuals, and more importantly, consumer’s moods and behaviors.
The sense of smell is closely tied to memory and emotion, making
scent a powerful way to reinforce ideas. “If a picture is worth a thousand words, a scent is worth a thousand pictures.”
2.5 TASTE:
Taste is the physiological perception of flavor. Sweet, salty, bitter and sour are the four true tastes that we are able to perceive, and it is the combination of these different flavorful sensations that entices us to want more.
The increased complexity of a flavor tends to generate a unique and memorable experience. This means that when two or more true tastes are stimulated simultaneously, the complete flavor and sensation of a food becomes memorable and can be related toward a specific product brand. Beyond the physiological need for nourishment, food has become a direct way for people to satisfy their unfulfilled desires. Foods and flavors from around the world give people the opportunity to experience alternate cultures and to travel without leaving their home. The tastes of home cooked meals evoke happy emotions and memories of the “good old days”. Consumers now expect their food to go beyond satisfying carnal hunger but it must also create and fulfill their utmost expectations and needs.Smell is an important part of taste, someday we may be able to put something in our mouths and the computer will cause it to generate tastes.
DIGITAL SCENT TECHNOLOGY
Imagine being able to smell things using a device that connects to your computer. Like a new language, this technology is a new set of tools for self-expression, communication, and commerce. It includes software components and a peripheral device called the Personal Scent Synthesizer.
Digiscents don’t plan on designing the games and other platforms themselves. As well as the synthesizers, they’ve been creating the software and hardware that game producers will need to mix and incorporate scents into their latest offerings. Part of that is “Reminiscent”, a database of standard smells. These odors will be licensed to developers for integration into games, websites and advertisements and so on.
The company promises that they will be flying their flag at the world’s first scent-enabled Web portal, dubbed “The Snortal”. Visitors will be able to send “Scent Mail”, design and register their own smells and swap aroma tracks to their favorite music clips; just like computer gamers circulate custom-designed ‘skins’ for their favorite titles.
“We’re going to be the Microsoft of smell.” said one Digiscents insider.
Digiscents is apparently in discussions with at least one major game developer. So we truly may be close to a time when you’ll smell those zombies just as they sneak up to devour your brains.
3.1 SMELL SYNTHESIZER: –
The smell synthesizer mean the device which is used generate the smells. Such as ismell is device used to produce the gas using computer.
There are various types of smell synthesizers are available in the market, but for computer the smell synthesizer is made by digiscents industry.
3.2 ISMELL:
The iSmell is a peripheral device, about the size of a PC speaker that connects to a PC via a serial or USB port. It uses consumable cartridges which are used and replaced similar to the way ink jet printers use ink cartridges. It emits natural-based vapors into the user’s personal space. ISmell is triggered either on demand by the user (via a keyboard or mouse action) or via a timed or programmed response (as is the case with a DVD ScentTrack).
The company’s technology turns smells into digital codes that can be stored on laser discs or as computer files, and can even be e-mailed. The iSmell device reads a digital scent file, creates a smell from a “palette” of 128 chemicals stored in a cartridge, and then wafts into the air with a small fan.
DEGISCENTS ISMELL VERSION I
SPECIFICATIONS:
1. It has cartridge of 128 chemicals which is able to produce 10,000 smells
2. To active this device for computer it will require a driver program called as ScentStream.
DIGISCENTS ISMELL VERSION II:-
3.3 CARTRIDGE: –
The cartridge will contain chemicals — either natural oils or synthetic fragrances — that will be activated by either heat or air pressure, when you send a signal from your computer.. Currently 128 chemicals are stored in a cartridge. Similar to an ink jet printer, those oils form the core of a replaceable cartridge, which is inserted in the company’s iSmell device. The oils are electrically stimulated in different combinations to create specific smells in response to software prompts programmed into applications such as Web site features, computer games, digital music, and movies. But after some time as user will be more familiar with these smells the cartridge will come in market in which you can add chemicals as many as you want. They are still investigating all the scent combinations that are currently possible with the iSmell device. As the technology becomes more refined, more and more scents and scent combinations will be possible.
“The idea would be to have a box about the size of a small speaker that would be connected to your computer and within that box is this cartridge of odors, having a hundred different small chambers in it, and then on command from the computer, you can choose various odors within that hundred, to be mixed up together and then puffed gently out of this port where you can smell it.”
3.4 SCENTOGRAPHY: –
Scentography is a new form of expression that allows the integration of scents with traditional digital multimedia, such as games, DVDs, and web sites. By allowing you to communicate with smells, Scentography adds a new dimension and richness to web pages and virtually any other form of electronic/digital communication. The capability to digitize and broadcast scents will enable vendors and consumers to send scented mail, establish smell ‘n shop electronic kiosks, make and watch scented DVDs, and play scented games and simulations.
Scentography promises a vast extension of sensory space, with profound implications. “We’ve lost touch, as a species, with our sense of smell,” Bellenson says, speaking so rapidly that his words run together. “Like, our noses are not on the ground anymore, because we don’t have to hunt for food. Scent became an art perpetuated by the big fragrance houses in Europe, and the average person was not empowered.
SCENT MIXER SCENT CREATION SOFTWARE:
Programs that will allow the developers to create their own aromas for multimedia. Once the product is available on the Mac platform, consumers will be able to use the ScentMixer Scent Creation Software, which allows you to create your own scents.
4.1 SNORTAL: –
Snortal will be the Internet’s first a scent-enabled Web portal. Visiting the Snortal, you will be able to send scented e-mail, design and register your own smells, and create and share ScentTracks for your favorite movies and music.
The Snortal was developed for DigiScents as a portal to scented products, features, and entertainment. I collaborated closely with the president, CEO, marketing and sales teams, a technical lead, and a creative lead to develop this interface.
The goal was to create a space where people of all ages can feel as though they are on vacation, having fun. The look was appropriated into all marketing collateral, including press folders and greeting cards.
4.2 SCENT REGISTRY: –
To ensure odor authenticity, DigiScent has created a “Scent
Registry,” a digital index of thousands of scents that the company will license to developers to integrate into games, Web sites, advertisements, movies and music.
There is real science behind all this. Bellenson, who once ran a Stanford University lab specializing in DNA synthesis, has drawn up models for the way odor molecules bind with the some 10 million odor-detecting neurons on a human nose, a step toward establishing the Scent Registry that will underpin the concept.
DigiScent’s founders hope that by licensing their scent spectrum, they will create a world of smells for the Internet generation – perfumes you can smell online, computer games with the whiff of the jungle or the tang of jet fuel, movies that give audiences the scents of an autumn bonfire.
4.3 DATA BASE REMINISCENTS: –
ScentObjets can be incorporated in many applications multimedia, for which a license will be required.
Whatever the smell that we are the license for can be entered in the ReminiScents data base file.
4.4 SCENTTRACKS: –
ScentTracks is software. By using this software you can edit the smell, create the smell, create scented greeting cards, add smell for the movies or songs for all these operation there are some tools are given which user can use.
File menu:
In this file menu they have given new, open, close, save, save as, search, exit, etc. By these new menu of the ScentTracks user can create several new smells. He has provided certain chemical reaction and on that basic he can easily create smell. By these save and save as menu user can save these smell in the form of chemical reaction.
Greeting menu:
In this menu user has provided the tools used for greetings menu. Such as pictures as clip art, word art, chart, etc. The created smell or ready smell can be attached to the greeting. Such that when greeting opens it will produce the sweet smell.
Editor:
In editor menu they have given the editor for both the movies as well as for songs. By using this editor you can add and delete smell at a particular place in a movie or song. So that when that song continues at particular place it will produce that inserted smell. But for that we require different players. Currently they were making “Real Player” for that smell.
4.5 SDK: –
Set of tools to create content with aroma.
The fields that could be seen modified are the entertainment, foods, fragrances and fashion, home and hygiene, science, technology, trips and education, since it would be possible to be induced knowledge or to be forced reactions through the aroma, which can mean the following revolution.
Although the expectation is very interesting, we must hope to see if this technology really takes force, since it will have to break with several paradigms of the user with respect to his form to visualize the multimedia. To see when it is the turn of the Virtual reality?
Digiscents Launched a Scentware Developers Kit — Sdk — at Game Developers Conference.
The SDK is incredibly easy to implement, we expect to see an explosion of scent enabled content. “Using the ScentWare(TM) SDK, a developer can scent enable a game within an hour,” said DigiScents Director of ScentStream(TM) Technology, Cooksey Thomas, who previously developed the Sega Dreamcast’s audio API. “The SDK contains all we need to create killer scented games that allow gamers to smell environments, entities, and prizes.”
4.6 WDK: –
The ScentWare Web Development Kit (WDK) gives you the tools to provide unforgettable scented online experiences. Scenting your Web site is fast and easy with the ScentWare WDK. Using your favorite leading web editing tools, you can add ambient and click ‘n’ sniff scents to your web site or flash presentation in just minutes. The only hard part about scenting your web site is choosing between chocolate, orange, pine forest, the ocean, perfume, flowers, new car…the list goes on.
4.6.2 Technical Overview: A WDK That Makes Scents
The DigiScents Web Developers Kit or WDK is a group of interoperable components that allow Web designers to implement click-and-sniff Web pages using a variety of methods. Components can be used within Web pages targeted for either Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The kit includes a scriptable Netscape Plug-in Control that can be used to target Netscape Navigator browsers and two ActiveX Controls that can be used to target Internet Explorer browsers. As development progresses all of the media players and major browsers will be supported. The WDK v.1 release will allow web designers to experiment with the enabling technologies and prepare content now in order that it will be available when the iSmell becomes available to mass consumers. A number of licensing options are available to allow commercial enterprises of all sizes to participate in the Revolution of the Senses™. To allow the designers to preview their work the WDK comes with a software emulation of the iSmell device, the emulation appears as a message dialog box that names the scent emitted and its intensity. Web art can be scented in many different ways.
4.6.3 CLICK ‘N’ SNIFF
This method causes the user’s iSmell device to emit a scent when any scent-enabled element is clicked. Click ‘n’ sniff can be implemented by using any of the ScentWare WDK components.
4.6.4 AMBIENT SCENTS Pages can also automatically emit scents either when the page is loaded creating an ambient scent on rollover or on a timer using JavaScript
EFFECTS OF DIGITAL SMELL FOR DIFFERENT SITE
5.1 OVER THE THEATER: –
After some time the virtual theaters will came in the market. This virtual theater is basically the concept of the virtual reality. These theaters will have electronic hand gloves, digital smell synthesizer, multipoint surround sound system, movement controllable seats, 3d goggles. From this idea the multipoint surround sound system, 3d goggles, movement controllable seats were completed. Now for the user to fill more realistic effects of movies they were introducing the very new facility of digital smell in movies or in games. For example if we are watching a movie and we see burning of tier then we will fill that smell in theater.
5.2 OVER THE TELEVISION: –
Now a days as new and new sound technology came in picture our home television is changing, getting more and more powerful sound with it. After some time over television will came will more clear picture, better voice as well as ismell device, which will create more interest in watching the television.
5.3 OVER THE INTERNET
DigiScents technology will be used to add a new dimension to e-commerce and entertainment technology: adding scent to movies, online advertising and interactive games are just a few of the possibilities. “Online greeting cards will be one of the first big plays. We digitize and broadcast scent over the Internet and analyze the molecular structure and sensory perception of an odor and software-code it. The iSmell is a peripheral that is the size of an electronic pencil sharpener; it connects to a USB port. Its scent cartridge would be like a color printer cartridge but with 128 scent elements to combine. These elements will combine to make thousands of scent combinations. “Humans detect around 10,000 smells in their lifetimes. We’re going to create the primaries of smell. The company is also creating a Snortal, a first-of-its kind Internet site on which people can create scented e-mail and their own custom scents. Beta testing is currently under way, and final products will be released in fall 2002.
5.3.1 BENEFITS OF SCENTED WEB SITES
Scenting your web site has many benefits as iSmell Digital Scent Technology creates a brand new experience for customers on the Web. The smell experience can be passive, with the use of ambient smells or world scents, or active (click ‘n’ sniff).
5.3.1.1 SMELL IS MEMORABLE AND EVOCATIVE
Smell is powerful because of its close connection with memory and emotions. Most of us have had the experience of smelling a familiar scent and finding ourselves immediately transported to another time, place and emotional state. With digital scent technology, one can tap into the subconscious of the customers in a way nothing else can, making the web site unforgettable.
5.3.1.2 SMELL MAKES YOU STAND OUT
Any site can improve its presence with the use of atmospheric scent. The designer of a travel site may wish to add exotic tropical scents to its site. A perfume site may wish to use the ambient perfume smell that simulates the experience of walking into a perfume store. An online department store can use scents for different seasons to simulate the experience of shopping. A gaming site can use different ambient scents, like cave or haunted house, to create more authentic gaming worlds.
5.3.1.3 SMELL INTENSIFIES USER INTERACTION
Many fragrance and body product stores encourage sampling of scented products to increase sales. Scentography, the art of using scent as a form of communication and self-expression, gives developers a new way to reach out to the audience. Scent adds an entirely new dimension to the web. Scent heightens the online experience for users, because they are now enticed to further explore gaming worlds, product features, and topic areas.
5.3.2 APPLICATIONS FOR SCENT ON THE WEB
In addition to revolutionizing gaming, digital scent technology will bring consumers more lifelike and memorable experiences with scented movies and music, web sites, e-mail, e-commerce, and online advertising.
5.3.2.1 ONLINE INTERACTIVE GAMES
Imagine smelling the scent of an opponent in an interactive online role-playing game or smelling the damp cave your character is trapped in. Games with scented environments, entities and prizes are more immersive and realistic. Scented games will soon be the standard in interactive media, just as games with sound became prevalent as soundcards became common.
5.3.2.2 ENTERTAINMENT
The WDK gives you the tools to create ScentTracks that can be streamed over the Internet with movies and music. ScentTracks can also be transmitted along, making it possible to implement aromatherapy online. (End users can create their own ScentTracks for their favorite movies and music and send the. Smellody files to friends by email.)
5.3.2.3 COMMUNICATION
Scent offers developers as well as consumers another medium for creativity and self-expression. Scented web sites, electronic greeting cards and e-mail will enliven all e-communication. With iSmell technology, you can travel anywhere in the world or to any time period in the past.
5.3.2.4 E-COMMERCE
Scent will bring the online shopping experience to life. Scent-enabled shopping sites will be more compelling if you can actually smell perfume, flowers, food and beverages, cigars, and exotic places.
5.3.2.5 ADVERTISING
Vendors of food, cosmetics, home care products, and travel related services can use scent to make advertisements more engaging and memorable. Eventually, like musical jingles and graphical logos, scented banner ads will make it possible to communicate the key feature of scented products or to simply evoke a certain feeling.
FACILITIES, USES AND LIMITATIONS
6.1 FACILITIES:
1. As we now that user can send any type of smell so the ismell is designed in such a way that it will give protection against that smell.
2. The scent cartridges contain mostly natural materials commonly found in the cosmetics, foods and beverages you use every day.
3. There might be possibility that user has allergy from any smell so for this problem the ismell provides locking facility. So that user can lock that particular smell which he doesn’t like.
6.2 USES
With DigiScents technology, you can enjoy many lifelike experiences, including:
1. Interactive games and online entertainment
2. Scented email
3. Personal aromatherapy tracks while at the office
4. Ability to smell groceries, cosmetics and home care products before purchasing online Fragrant web site
LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE PLANS
7.1 LIMITATIONS
· The iSmell personal scent synthesizer emits teeny-tiny amounts of scent for the enjoyment of one or two people sitting in front of the device.
7.2 FUTURE PLANS
· Under their system a person could send an ‘encoded’ message from one computer to another, and then person will get the message in the form of smell. Then this smell will be cached by the input ismell device then given to the translator which will translate these release chemicals to the message form.
· Virus could also be entered via these smell devices.
7.3 WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESS OBVIOUS BENEFITS?
The inability to smell is a condition called anosmia. People with anosmia have lost the ability to smell or were born without it. They may have lost their ability to smell from head injuries or the aging process. Research has shown that for these people life is less stimulating and can lead to depression
Losing your ability to smell can signal the onset of worse diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, malnutrition, and some degenerative diseases of the nervous system such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease.Researchers are even looking at loss of smell as a predictor of developing AIDS in HIV positive patients.
7.4 Problems due to which this digital smell is currently not in maket:
· Digital smell may be an idea whose time has come, but there are reasons why no one has mastered smell generation. It’s an extremely complex process involving chemical reactions, biology, physiology, genetics, and, perhaps, the secrets of life itself — let alone capitalism.
Chemical problem: – It is very difficult task to put any digital reactions into a computer and execute over a computer. In this case we have to create the reaction depending on the pallets that is only 128 for the ismell. The chemical scientist has to create more then ten thousand because minimum of ten thousand smells is generally used humans life. This may requires an extremely complex process of chemical reaction.
Genetics: – As we know that the ismell device is made of natural chemical but there might be possibility that any user has problem with smell. As he seat over the computer daily then there could happens the problem of Jens. This problem is very critical, so due to this digital smell is not in market.
7.5 ARE THERE ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS?
If you are allergic to something that also has a particular odour (say grass pollen), it is possible you may associate that odour with the unpleasant allergic reaction (usually hay fever or asthma) and thus develop an aversion to that smell (e.g. freshly cut grass).