It’s actually happening. The folks at Scent Sciences Corporation have mastered their ScentScape device and are now preparing it for public release during the fourth quarter of 2011. Smell-o-vision is all but a reality.
How it works is simple: The ScentScape plugs into a PC USB port, and all the user needs to do is load a supported game and let the scents roll in courtesy of a mixture of heat, technical stuff, and chemicals. There are 20 basic scents included, such as flowers and smoke, so it’s not as advanced as some may have hoped for.
The device, which was was put through its paces at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, runs on cartridges that last around 200 hours a pop under “heavy use.” It will retail at $69.99, with cartridge refills costing $24, adding up to a lot of cash being spent on smelling stuff. This innovation is a big deal considering that no titles have been officially confirmed to use the product, although the World of Warcraft logo is featured on the Scent Sciences website. Development kits are being handed out to studios in February.
ScentScape execs told MCV that their device will be “compatible with all major formats.”
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