The Olfactory System - The Future

The use of "olfactory icons" and "smicons" with computer systems has been proposed. These would be similar to "auditory icons" and "earcons," respectively. That is, an olfactory icon reproduces a real world scent that has a direct, real world equivalence. An example could be releasing the scent of flowers at a "garden" website or the smell of coffee at a kitchen appliance site. "Smicons" are more abstract and require that their meaning be learned, such as the incense clock's scent-of-the-hour.

The computer-controlled generation and delivery of odorants is a complex undertaking, if more than a few odors/scents are to be dispensed. Odors must be first chemically analyzed and concentrations determined to be able to recreate the scent. Smells are complex chemical compounds. Many of which mix creating a new compound or smell. Also, the concentration of an odor can make the difference between what is perceived as a pleasant floral scent or a putrid one. Difficulties have been experienced in reliably producing an exact scent on demand and in clearing the air of one scent before presenting the next.