Olfactory display using visual feedback based on olfactory sensory map

Abstract

Olfactory sensation is based on chemical signals whereas the visual sensation and auditory sensation are based on physical signals. Therefore olfactory displays which exist now can only present the set of scents which was prepared beforehand because a set of "primary odors" has not been found. In our study, we focus on development of an olfactory display using cross modality which can represent more patterns of scents than the patterns of scents prepared. We construct olfactory sensory map by asking subjects to smell various aroma chemicals and evaluate their similarity. Based on the map, we selected a few aroma chemicals and implemented a visual and olfactory display. We succeed to generate various smell feeling from only few aromas, and it is able to substitute aromas by pictures nearer aromas are drawn by pictures more strongly. Thus, we can reduce the number of aromas in olfactory displays using the olfactory map. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.