A Japanese company is developing a gadget that will revolutionize the way we experience the virtual world. Chaku Perfume has created a new piece of technology called ChatPerf, that allows users to send smells to one-another with an app. Meaning that "smell ya later" may no longer be limited to an in-person phrase when saying goodbye to a friend.
Audio-visual experiences are commonly known to go hand-in-hand with technology. Three-dimensional effects on big screens make viewers feel like they are actually in the scene of a movie, but smell is not one of the five senses we often hear about utilizing in the tech-world. So the ability to smell what we see on a screen would completely change the experience.
The new ChatPerf app works with a small device containing a scent tank, that plugs into a phone. By pressing a button in the app, the attached ChatPerf device then releases whatever smell has been selected.
When looking at recipes or cooking apps, the ability to smell that delicious-looking food you're contemplating making for dinner would make the decision a whole lot easier, right? That could be a possibility in the near future with this smell-o-vision technology. Though the aroma of food or flowers may be appealing, this isn't just for odors we may consider to be enjoyable.
Imagine how real it would seem if we had exposure to odors such as dirt, metal, gun powder, trash, or smoke when playing a game or watching a movie. The ability to test other fragrances such as flowers or perfumes would allow people almost the same experience as being at the florist or beauty counter without having to actually go there. This could potentially change our entire virtual experience.
The ChatPerf does have limitations at this point in time. The chamber which stores the scent can contain only one smell at a time. So you'd need to stock up on the smell tank plug-ins if you wish to experience more that one scent per day.
The device is being developed to be compatible with iPhones and Androids. It is expected to be released this fall with a sale price of about $63.
