QUALE
Olfactory display
This device harnesses the fact that smells evoke memories and can alter the way we think.
Quale notifies us of important information, but in a non-intrusive & subconscious manner.
It provides an alternative to receiving all our daily information through our eyes and ears,
instead routing some of it down an olfactory channel.
Smells designed by Sissel Tolaas from the IFF re_search Lab Berlin
By autonomously observing our environment and our interaction with information sources,
a Quale diffuser learns to associate a unique blend of smell with a specific event.
The device can then trigger reminders or particular physiological states
by replaying these smells at relevant times throughout the day.
Form studies
This device is to the nose, what a loudspeaker is to the ears.
Both can be infinitely configurable and display information across a wide spectrum.
Status updates, state changes and any other non-critical information that is chosen,
could be wirelessly fed through this device to affect us ambiently.
Working prototype
The diffuser has a collection of 16 crafted scents, each distinctive yet novel.
The oils are accurately blended by passing them through piezoelectric micro-pumps
onto a piezo diffuser. The resulting mix is broadcast into the room by a fan.
Dispensing arrangement inside the prototype
The device creates a constantly adapting smellscape.
Some elements of the scent convey information while others complement these by evoking awareness beyond the task in hand.
Quale diffusers can be networked
RCA summer exhibition 2007
Royal College of Art 2007