Basics for Olfactory Display

Abstract

An olfactory display, which is the olfactory counterpart to a visual display, is controlled by a computer or information equipment and provides smells to a human user. Because we sense smells through the air, the role of an olfactory display is to make scented air from odor materials in a stocked form with the desired components and concentration and to deliver the scented air to the human olfactory organ. This chapter provides a survey of various technologies, categorized by scent generation methods and scent delivery methods, used to construct an olfactory display. For scent generation methods, vaporization/atomization techniques, scent switching techniques, and formulation techniques are discussed. For scent delivery methods, several approaches to convey odor material from the scent generator to the nose are discussed. In addition, a brief description of evaluation methods of olfactory displays is provided.