Scientists working on smell-device for games

Researchers at Birmingham University are creating a device that will allow gamers to smell their games.

While the actual completion of the project may be a long, long way away we do have to admit we're still very excited by the news that a team of researchers is working on a device that will allow gamers to experience the smells of their games.

The project has been launched at Birmingham University and apparently aims to provide users with context-sensitive scents that match up to in-game actions, such as the whiff of gunpowder or the stink of burning alien corpses. Um, yay?

The engineers have, according to DevelopMag been partially founded by the UK Ministry of Defence, who no doubt have some sinister application of the technology in mind, such as being able to tell when an enemy camp is struck by dysentery. Or, more likely, the device will be used in virtual training exercises.

While there aren't a huge amount of details on the initial work of the research group, it seems like the current design will use a system of scented paraffin waxes to simulate the in-game odours.

So, the question is then, what games would you actually like to smell? The idea of sniffing the smelling salts and ear-bacon in Psychonauts sounds interesting, but it's games like Cooking Mama that might really benefit from the system. It would probably be best to steer clear of games like Doom or Quake.

Would you be interested in smelling your virtual foes? Let us know in the forums.
Quote Paradigm Shifter 28th April 2009, 11:55
Yeah, I don't really favour smelling gunpowder or stagnant-lake-of-sewage or whatever in my games.

One innovation I'll pass on, thanks. ;)
Quote Yemerich 28th April 2009, 11:57
i wonder how Condemned would smell like... Geez! the stench!
Quote Silver51 28th April 2009, 12:01
This will be great for the obligatory sewer level in games.
Quote Jamie 28th April 2009, 12:20
This'll take off in the same way the novint falcon is now the preferred game controller.
Quote MajorTom 28th April 2009, 13:08
I think I can safely say that I don't want this. Ever!
Quote Shepps 28th April 2009, 13:11
I've had a play with this system, it's in it's very early stages as you mention. The MoD Is considering this sort of thing for flight simulators etc, training pilots to know what it smells like when you're leaking fuel or if your aircraft is on fire. I smelt 4 or 5 'smells' that smelt nothing like they were intended to!
Quote yakyb 28th April 2009, 13:27
does that mean if i was particularly smelly one day i could stick on crysis and stand by the beach?
Quote GFC 28th April 2009, 13:33
Lol, hell no! There ain't a game where i'd like to smell anything.. roting corpses, dead bodies, wh00t!
Quote johnnyboy700 28th April 2009, 14:10
Huh, this'll be a waste of time. The first time I use it will have the wife charging in with a can of air freshener saying something about disgusting smells.

Left 4 Dead would probably be pretty rank with this gadget.
Quote TESCO-Zsömle 28th April 2009, 14:58
Hell! That's Crazy!

Well I think, that it has some limitation, otherwise players can be easily sick within a few minutes...
Quote TESCO-Zsömle 28th April 2009, 15:00
Two players just talking...

-How's Crysis2 smells??
-Well, mostly it's frosty...

XD
Quote sotu1 28th April 2009, 16:46
Quote:
Originally Posted by TESCO-Zsömle
Two players just talking...

-How's Crysis2 smells??
-Well, mostly it's frosty...

XD


-actually I don't know how it smells. Pc is lagging :(
Quote Star*Dagger 28th April 2009, 17:16
the Pron industry might push this along.. the Smell of "Love". The acrid smells in most FPS' wouldnt go over well, maybe the nice ones in the jungle like Crysis.

Id like to try it, especially if it worked, it would add immersion. I would rather have surround gaming via projected holograms though :)

S*D
Quote thehippoz 28th April 2009, 17:49
god this could be abused.. I would put in code to make it smell like sh if my game was tampered with in any way.. kid all argggg! make it kick in like a hour before the end of a long game- then they get diverted to an alternate ending with a guy sitting on a toilet- he says.. 'how you like them apples' add one more to the botnet XD
Quote Thacrudd 28th April 2009, 17:58
Aargh....really? This is just going to be a top seller, I just know it....
Quote metarinka 28th April 2009, 18:07
they've been trying to invent smellovision since the 50's

the thing is the nose is complex and can recognize thousands of different smells, unlike light or sound smells aren't made of simple components but each are an individual unique chemical so it's impossible to make a "smell palette" to mimic many different smells

second creating smells takes chemicals and that means you'll have to refill on the blood n guts stench every time you play resident evil or what not

What's the point? unless it would be cool if you could smell your enemies coming
Quote Marc5002 28th April 2009, 20:31
it Would be Awesome for World of Warcraft the people would need no more to get outside Climbing a Real montain to smell a Orchid flower : they will have it sit on there ass just hold a key for smell tunlock i think device will work this way : HOLD-S For Smell on *Hold S for Smell off : you approach flower where you must harvest Flower / plant : Hmmm the Smell of jungle.... I love it !

(48 hour later) .. I can't leave this Freaking jungle it smell so good : congratulation you are now our 17,000,000 member in pay 14.99 $Per month when they will Release World of warcraft : Expansion 4 : Featruing the Exotic Smell of the Jungle and montain if you bough smelling device sold by OCZ & Corsair & Nvidia (Who know)

Then later in such mmo couple will be popular and the female will go go like : honey do you want to come smell the montain of Rose Blossom within a Sunshine in the game Server : we will walk Close to Each other like if it was real life Because it smell like real life lol

But There a missing Hardware Essential to life : touch Sense & sexual Drive Which push us to want to get Laid right after a kiss :D (IF we ever come to such tool that allow to have Sexual stimulation & Touch Stimulation like if you hug PART A : You Fell Like you'r Being hug but it a mechanical Device such as the huge T-shirt that is made that if you do a hug of that you press okay. and the female Fell like a hug Sensation of you just in middle of day at her work when she fell she need one

But i'm really going to be like WTF If they Ever make a Sexual one. in 2040-2050 by then il be old and il be like what the hell is with the new generation ?
Quote Henk 28th April 2009, 21:13
Quote:
Originally Posted by metarinka

What's the point? unless it would be cool if you could smell your enemies coming

That could work in a horror game... You can't hear it, you can't see it. But you can smell it.
For instance, something like CSI. You arrive to investigate a building where everything seems normal but there is a weird smell coming from somewhere, and you have to find "it" by wandering around sniffing. That could just as easily be done with a detector in the game ofc...

Any games like that out btw (excluding condemned)?
Quote thehippoz 28th April 2009, 21:32
lol I smell you commin you stinkey mf! XD but check this out.. what if trojans started tapping into smellovision and then stunk up the room- that would be awesome.. I mean you can already make a guys rig talk a bunch of crap to him- switch up his boot logo- redirect him to porn sites.. it's like the final insult.. flip on the webcam and nuke his room while reaming his harddrive XD

then pop out his dvd tray when he leans in front of the computer trying to figure out wtf is going on! :D zzz

I dunno, maybe it would work in gaming.. I can just see this getting abused big time- especially at lans.. stick some code in some guys machine- wait till he's smelling it up and let it rip
Quote Otto69 29th April 2009, 01:36
Remember the big fat round farting demons in Dungeon Keeper? :)
Quote Tristanvtv 5th May 2009, 18:12
haha the guys at Mode 7 are trying to test this thing out, but Birmingham U hasnt responded to them yet. (see there podcast at visitingthevillage.com ) Its interesting but ... i dunno it just dosn't smell right (hahaha )
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