A new USB peripheral that emits smells is about to hit the PC market and the console version is ‘in the works’. Developed by Scent Sciences Corporation, the machine plugs in to your gaming device of choice and when triggered will emit one of up to twenty different fragrances including pine forest, ocean and smoke.
The device was demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month. Scent Sciences is expected to attend the upcoming GDC 2011 to meet with potential partners. Development kits are being shipped to studios this month.
Made by Scent Sciences Corporation, the ScentScape is described as “an innovative digital scent delivery system.” Besides sounding downright fancy, it seems to be pretty easy to use: You simply plug it into a USB port on your computer and, with a supported game, the appropriate scent is released when the time comes.
There are 20 “basic scents” included in each replaceable cartridge, among them pine forest, ocean, flowers, and smoke — so, at least in this version, there’s no need to worry about what will happen when wandering into an area akin to The Great Mighty Poo’s cave in Conker’s Bad Fur Day.
ScentScape will be released for the PC by the end of the year and will retail in the US for $69.99 with additional cartridges clocking in at $24 each. The product has only been demonstrated on the PC but Scent Sciences Corporation say it will be “compatible with all major formats”.
Specific game support has not been announced, although development kits are being sent to developers this month. Of note is the picture Scent Sciences is using on its official website — it features World of Warcraft on it.
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