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  • 'Smell-O-Vision', as they call it, would soon be a reality. That means if you are watching a coffee advertisement on the TV, the advertiser can actually make you smell the coffee. Or if you are watching a perfume advertisement on HomeShop18 channel, the anchor can actually ask you to move nearer to the TV screen and smell the perfume - in real time! Unbelievable, isn't it? But the Japanese engineers have done it already! Inventor Haruka Matsukura of the Tokyo University Of Agriculture & Technology, along with his team has developed a TV that can make the smells appear from exact spots on the TV where there relevant image (say a coffee cup) is displayed.

    The 'smelling screen' is a new type of olfactory display capable of generating localised odor distribution on a 2-D screen. The odor is distributed in such a way on the screen to make the user feel as if he/she is actually smelling the object displayed on the screen. Not only that, but the location of the odor can be adjusted to any spot throughout the real estate of the display.

    The user can move his/her head to any position of the screen to experience realistic changes in the intensity of the odor. Simply amazing, we must say!

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    The system operates by continuously feeding various odours from vaporising gel pellets into 4 air streams located at each corner of the display. Controlled fans then blow these air-streams parallel to the screen varying in strength & direction to create localised smell-spot at the desired location on the TV-screen. The team has succeeded in controlling the mechanics of air-flow in such a way that the smell appears to come directly from the object on the screen.

    Matsukura says that the next challenge for the team is to create cartridges (like the ones you use in your printer) capable of producing various smells.

    Welcome to the future, fellas!

    We are impressed beyond limits by what Matsukura and his team has achieved. Imagine the way this would revolutionise the TV industry. E-Commerce portals would let you smell the stuff before you buy - and we can already imagine people doing the 'smell test' on Vegetables they're about to order online.

    Think of the possibilities this might open up when the technology gets adopted on mobile devices and gadgets. You'll be able to buy the exact perfume you want to buy and get what you paid for.

    Think of possibilities this might open up on the console gaming where the game designers will be able eliminate the difference between 'virtual' and 'real'.

    What do you think? Where else can this technology be used?

    Via: #-Link-Snipped-#
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  • lal

    MemberMar 30, 2013

    Well, I have a doubt. What if the scenes are changing fast. Say, if it was a rose on the screen and yeah the smell of rose spreads. Now, say, the scene changes to jasmine. But still the rose's smell would be remaining in the room, you cant simply make smell disappear as switching off a display. Smell of jasmine and rose will mix togeather now? Isn't that a problem. I wonder how efficient it shall be in dealing with fast changing scenes.
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