Google Nose may have been an extremely elaborate April Fools’ Day prank, but the technology may not be too far from reality as researchers at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have created a prototype TV set that allows you to smell what’s being shown on the screen.
The way it works is through a set of fans that are mounted on each corner of the TV that pushes air filled with a number of scents and odors to the viewer. The placement of the fans will make the viewer think the smells are coming directly at them from the screen, which may or may not be a good thing depending on the scent that’s being blasted into your face.
The viewer can also smell different portions of the screen and experience realistic changes in the odor’s intensity depending on where they smell. So if there’s an image of a dirty diaper on the bottom-left portion of your TV screen, you can guide your nose to the upper-right portion so you its stench is less intense. Or, you can just change the channel to smell a nice apple pie.
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