Development of a Portable, Multichannel Olfactory Display Transducer

In this paper, we report on the development of a simple, yet innovative multichannel olfactory display. Unlike other sensory stimuli (specifically sight and sound), digital olfactory technology has yet to have wide-spread commercial success. Our proposed system will release up to eight different liquid phase aromas (essential oils) using a thermal mechanism. The unit contains a speed controlled fan, temperature control of the heating element, and a gas sensor to provide feedback to inform the release rate. It can be connected (via Bluetooth low energy) to a tablet/computer to control the timing and intensity of the aroma. External measurements show that aromas can be detected within a few seconds of release and produce a broad range of intensities from low parts per million (ppm) to 10 s of ppm.