It’s official: the ability to smell shows and movies is finally here.
The cutting edge technology in question called the aroma shooter, was unveiled today at CES 2023 by a Japan-based developer, Aromajoin. The Aroma Shooter can “digitize aromas and create a new communication channel in the same family as text, images and audio”. If you’re not attending CES this weekend, don’t worry, you can check out the demo video below:
Smell-O-Vsion-type products are nothing new to the entertainment medium. If you’re a millennial like me, you might have seen the 4D gimmick in action 2003 theatrical release from Rugrats go wild! that marked The wild thornberries. However, instead of scratching a parchment of scented paper while watching a movie or movie, Aroma Shooter shoots… well, smells in your face.
The Aroma Shooter involves the use of two technical parts: the shooter itself and the aroma cartridge. Rather than using oils or mists, the aroma cartridge is a solid-state device that apparently “can switch between scents in 0.1 seconds and mix scent permutations instantly with no lingering sensations.” In combination with the aroma shooter a device PC gamers described as a wireless device that sucks in air and creates the smell that’s shot up your nose, you’ve got some sniffable media.
As the video above shows, users can program the Aroma Shooter’s 100+ scents to blow scents into their face holes in sync with a TV show, VR game, or anime-like scent Significant quintuplets or Cyberpunk: Edgerunner. For the curious, the presented fragrances are for QQ are cherry blossoms, grapes and peaches. the Edgerunner Demonstration clip featured smoke, caramel, coffee and clove buds. Chances are they’re still figuring out what cyberpsychosis smells like. You can also create your own scented viewing experience by associating a YouTube video with the software and marking timecodes when your techo snoofs occur.
While I think the technology is impressive in passing, I’m not exactly thrilled with day-to-day practical use. While the thought of programming the Aroma Shooter to its maximum capacity to scent my apartment with gourmet food from a particular Studio Ghibli film is tempting, I can’t imagine using this ridiculously expensive device. I’m a lazy slut who has enough imagination to watch me anime characters gorge themselves on food that looks better than real life. Should the day ever come where Elon Musk’s Neuralink chips pick up and the smells of my childhood memories are paid (you know he thought about it) then we talk.
Here’s the rub: The Aroma Shooter 2, which comes packaged with six aroma cartridges, retails for $998. Should you have enough disposable income to need more individual cartridges, they cost $54 each. Currently, Aromajoin is also working on crowdfunding a VR/AR attachment for its Smell-O-Rific device.
