We all had a smell that took us down memory lane; The petrichor always reminds me of my childhood. That nostalgic smell that’s called set memory. Our sense of smell is one of the only senses connected to our brain’s memory and emotion center that could make you feel a sense of reality.
“without scent in virtual reality, you are less real, less immersive, you’re less long-lasting.” Said Jessie Stein, the Vice President of the Product and Marketing department at OVR Technology.
The Burlington-based OVR Technology became a pioneer in metaverse by introducing a new headset called “ION3” with a detachable cartridge linked to the VR device. The cartridge contains eight different scents that will be diffused to create unique scents. The headset is scheduled to be released later this year.
How to use ION3?
The device is detachable; you just have to mount the cartridge on the device and you are good to go. The cartridge is interchangeable and holds 9 different scents at a time. With ION3, you can experience the scent of a lavender farm, marshmallows being roasted on a campfire, and even the seashore!
How does ION3 work?
Chemicals inside the cartridge are water-based, making the device environmentally friendly and, most importantly, safe! The scent is only triggered when the device is linked to the headset.
Just like reality, you can only smell the scent of objects when you get close to them, and as soon as you step back, the smell automatically vanishes. Although the feature might seem obvious, it helps in ensuring that different scents don’t mix up. It’s not the same as perfumes, because this technology aims to emulate reality. Mild and natural scents will make the VR experience much more realistic.
However, people might not be too excited about this feature. A Consumer Electronics Show attendee Ozan Ozaskinli examined some of the products and remarked that initially, it’s “far from reality.” Companies working on Metaverse projects are constantly trying to close the gap between virtual reality and real life. This development is sure a sign of how exciting the future is going to be.