Scented Material: Changing Features of Physical Creations based on Odors

Abstract

Communication between designer and user is a challenge when designing for a wider spectrum of experiences and interfaces (e.g., tangible, multimodal, multisensory interaction). Our research aims to explore non-verbal communication methods for expressing olfactory experiences. In this paper, we present preliminary findings on the effect of scented material on physical creations using scented and unscented modeling clay. We compare features of abstract creations of three groups (i.e., vanilla scented, lemon scented, or unscented material). Our preliminary results confirm pre-existing mappings across shapes and scents. We discuss the various properties of the creations and discuss their relevance based on previous work and in particular its potential for HCI in the design of future interactive experiences.