Smelling in VR: A Conversation with OVR Technology’s Aaron Wisniewski
“When we go to create those scents, authenticity is of utmost importance, because our intention is to make the virtual world feel as genuine as the real world.”
March 28, 2022
Anya Reiser
Tomorrow's World Today
Scent the only one of our senses directly linked to the limbic system of the brain, which is responsible for memory and emotion. In fact, it’s widely believed that as many as 70 percent of memories triggered throughout the day are due to our sense of smell.
Scent makes experiences in VR richer. And when you’re fully immersed in a virtual environment, the possibilities of total engagement are unlocked.
Our ION device is a lightweight, wireless microtechnology that fits most HMDs and releases the precise amount of scent at the right moment from a scent cartridge—it’s fine-tuned down to the part per million and millisecond. Scent is only present when desired and is immediately gone when not. It is able to do this without using any heat or fans through the activation of piezoelectrics.
As you move through and interact with the virtual world, your behavior is what triggers the release of scent. It’s completely immersive and interactive.
The University of Vermont Medical Center, with whom we partnered, studies how olfactory virtual reality affects pain, stress, and anxiety in their clinical psychiatry patients.
We help in substance use disorder clinics such as Ascendant New York where we help their patients engage in relaxation. A big issue is when patients want to leave their program against medical advice due to an intense craving. OVR helps disrupt the fight-or-flight response and provides the relief patients need to continue engaging with their therapy.
OVR can also be used in the military and organizations that include people in high-risk occupations for health or training, like firefighters, police, and EMTs.
I see, and smell, a future where the virtual world is as rich, meaningful, and authentic as the real one and where olfaction is the standard for VR experience globally.”
