It is a gadget straight out of a science fiction story: a machine that can record a smell and play it back to you at your leisure. Present it with a designer perfume or freshly baked bread and it will analyse the odour and reproduce it for you later using a mixture of non-toxic chemicals.
— From Nothing fishy about smell-recording device, in today's Guardian.
10 Comments
Read more about commenting at Now Smell This.
I am thinking that the device would have to be enormous in order to store all the source chemicals. So portability is not going to be an option. So much for my iPod scent module…
And in the case of reproducing commercially produced fragrance (fine or otherwise), the manufacturers are going to be concerned about their copyrighted material. Still, it is an interesting idea.
Hey, this reminded me of your iPod scent thingie! Don't think anyone has to worry about copyrighted material — you've got to have the right components to reproduce more than a “likeness” of the scent, after all — and anyone who wants to know what's in a scent can already find out with existing technology.
You are probably right about the copyright. And my iScentModule tm (patent pending) rules! I hope I live to see it…
My dad created the Smell O Vision units for the 1960 movie The Scent of Mystery. His copyright protection was overridden in favor of a more economic mode of delivery, and the whole thing collapsed and the film became known as Mike Todd Jr.'s only stinker. The remaining unit is in my living room right now, acting as a gathering space for candelabras, antique clocks and holiday cards. It's pretty big, but it was used to fill a movie auditorium. I so so look forward to seeing more his ideas of the manipulation of scent come into our lives. He did an early room deodorizer, known as 'Best Air' long before Glade got into the act.
Existentialist, you need another name, Apple is gonna sue you for sure.
Thanks, how cool! I had never heard of it — here is the Wikipedia entry for whomever else is interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smell-O-Vision
Yeah, I am dropping the “i”.
That is very cool. I have to admit that your dad should be the one creating the ScentModule that I only dream of.
Create away, Existentialist — he would have been very pleased to see others agreeing with him and using friendly technology to deliver deliciousness, moods and frissions . . . look forward to buying one! For those who may not know, Dr. Avery Gilbert, a psychiatrist who studies how scents affect us and uses his studies for marketing, is publishing a book due in June titled, What the Nose Knows. Random House is the publisher, but you can sign up at Amazon for a more favorable rate. Sounds to be deelish.