This Device Lets You Actually Smell In-Game Surroundings While You Play
Ever imagined how the Lands Between might smell like?
By Syazwan Bahri — 28 Feb 2024, 04:51 PM
Imagine playing Counter-Strike 2, when suddenly you catch a whiff of gunpowder and smoke
That is precisely the idea behind this novel device known as the GameScent. It is a new product that utilises AI technology to release scents corresponding to the gameplay on your screen.
GameScent's patent-pending adaptor detects real-time audio cues to deliver users with a unique experience. This capability allows GameScent to emit scents into the gaming area, offering users an unprecedented level of immersion and engagement during gameplay or other audio-visual experiences.
Check out the product trailer below:
Here's how the GameScent works:
GameScent is a compact device compatible with PCs, consoles, and VR headsets, offering versatility by plugging into either an HDMI or a 3.5mm audio jack.
The device relies on swappable cartridges to ensure a continuous sensory experience, allowing users to switch scents as desired. Additionally, the company offers a Clean Air neutraliser scent, which effectively removes scents after a gaming session. This ensures that users won't have to contend with lingering odours — such as those from a smoky explosion — in their surroundings long after they finish playing.
Here are some of the scents offered by GameScent:
- Gunfire
- Explosion
- Forest
- Clean Air
- Storm
- Racing Cars
- Blood
- Ocean
- Sports Arena
- Fresh Cut Grass
Currently, only the first six scents are available for purchase, and they also come pre-bundled out of the box. The latter four scents will be available at a later date.
Scents are an important component in creating an unforgettable experience
Scents in gaming and movies can significantly enhance realism and add storytelling depth by evoking emotions and memories. For example, incorporating the scent of rain in a movie scene can enhance authenticity, while the aroma of burning rubber in a racing game can intensify excitement.
As highlighted in the Harvard Gazette, these sensory experiences are closely linked to our emotional responses, making them a potent tool for creators to craft more immersive and captivating narratives. By tapping into our olfactory senses, creators can effectively transport audiences into the worlds they depict, fostering deeper connections and enriching the overall viewing or gaming experience.
"Studies have shown that the sense of smell imprints in long-term memory more strongly than anything else," GameScent President Casey Bunce said in a press release.
"With GameScent, we're hoping to elevate gamers' experiences to be more exciting and memorable than they ever have been before," he added.
