Wearable olfactory augmentation device for hazardous gas detection

Abstract

The goal of this study was to develop a wearable olfactory augmentation device (Fig. 1) that provides an intuitive and objective delivery of complex olfactory information via haptic feedback, in the form of cutaneous vibrotactile stimuli, in order to enhance environmental awareness of odor signals. The hypothesis is that displaying olfactory information through the skin enables intuitive and prompt identification of potentially hazardous chemicals and odors before they pose actual threats to the human body. In this work, an olfactory augmentation prototype is designed and manufactured, and experiments are conducted to assess the performance of device components and to improve the functionality of the device.