Introduction to Aromagraphy: Essential Concepts
1. What is Aromagraphy?
Aromagraphy is the art of capturing, storing, and releasing odours using a odour recorder, such as the Scent Camera, to create and share new mono- or multisensory experiences. Imagine traveling to a Colombian coffee plantation, where the air is thick with the earthy odour of the soil, the delicate sweetness of blossoms, and the rich, roasted aroma of drying beans. With the Scent Camera, you capture these odour molecules, preserving the essence of the plantation’s atmosphere. This captured odour, combined with photos, videos, and audio recordings, forms a richer multisensory record. Later, instead of simply viewing photos, you can release the stored aroma synchronized with visual and auditory elements, creating an immersive experience that transports you back to the plantation.
2. Who is a Aromagrapher?
A aromagrapher is an individual who captures, stores, and releases odours, often in conjunction with audio-visual content. Their work involves utilizing specialized technology to record, play and sometimes recreate olfactory experiences, opening a new dimension in sensory media. A recent survey, encompassing 160 respondents from the US and Europe, revealed significant public interest in recording a diverse range of odours. The most sought-after categories included food/cooking odours and floral odours, each capturing 26% of respondents’ interest, followed closely by natural odours (22%), human odours (19%), and the odours of specific places (14%).
Much like the field of photography, which encompasses a wide range of specializations — from documentary and portrait photography to nature and abstract imagery — aromagraphy offers similar opportunities for specialization. A aromagrapher might focus on culinary odours, botanical aromas, or the unique olfactory signatures of specific environments. This diversity allows for the development of distinct styles and profiles within the field. The potential for creating unique competencies in particular areas of aromagraphy is vast, inviting individuals to explore and define their own niche in aromagraphy.
3. Why Record and Replay Odours?
odours provide our brains with a wealth of information about our environment and specific moments, making them valuable for recording and replaying.
odours as Informative Environmental Cues: odours, composed of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that readily evaporate at room temperature, are potent carriers of environmental information. These VOCs originate from a diverse range of sources, including natural environments, human-made objects, living beings, and even illnesses. Acting as chemical signals, they provide our brains with real-time data about the world around us. This data encompasses critical information about safety, recent events, and the overall context of a location, object, or living entity. For example, the odour of a forest can indicate its health and recent rainfall, while the odour of a human can signal emotional state or illness. Though the Earth contains a vast number of VOCs, only a subset, estimated between 400 to 1,000, significantly contribute to our perceived odour experiences. Recording odours in this context allows us to capture and replay specific environmental cues, preserving a detailed snapshot of a place, object, living being, or even a health condition.
odours as Hedonic Experiences: Beyond environmental information, odours also evoke direct hedonic experiences. When VOCs interact with our olfactory receptors, they trigger sensations that can be pleasurable, neutral, or repulsive. This aspect of odour perception focuses on the intrinsic enjoyment or aversion associated with a smell, independent of its environmental context or memory associations. With humans capable of detecting at least 40 billion distinct odors, as demonstrated by Mayhew’s 2022 research, the potential for diverse hedonic odour experiences is immense. Recording these odours allows us to re-access and re-experience the sensory pleasure or aversion associated with a particular aroma.
odours as Emotional and Memory Triggers: The primary olfactory cortex, responsible for processing odours, is located within the amygdala-hippocampal complex, a brain region deeply intertwined with emotions and memory. This neurological connection explains olfaction’s unique ability to directly link to emotional responses, learning, and memory recall. Consequently, recording odours captures potent cues that trigger specific emotions, memories, and learned information associated with past olfactory encounters. By preserving these odour-based triggers, we can revisit and re-experience the emotional and cognitive landscapes tied to particular aromas.
4. How Does Aromagraphy Work?
aromagraphy captures, stores, and releases odours, much like photography does with light. The process works through three main steps: adsorption, storing, and desorption.
Step 1: Adsorption (Capturing). odour molecules stick to special materials called adsorbents. Adsorbents are solid materials with microscopic pores and high surface areas that attract and hold gas molecules through weak molecular forces, without forming chemical bonds. When capturing the odour of fresh-baked bread, a aromagrapher uses an adsorbent mixture specifically designed to trap volatile organic compounds — the warm, yeasty molecules that constitute the bread’s aroma. This mixture might contain materials like zeolite, activated carbon, silica gel, or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Tenax TA, each selected for its ability to capture specific molecular types. Zeolites, for example, are crystalline minerals with uniform pore sizes that can selectively trap molecules of specific dimensions, making them excellent for capturing targeted odour compounds.
Step 2: Storing. The capsule containing the adsorbent with the captured odour molecules is hermetically sealed and stored in a refrigerator. Based on our team’s experience, these samples can be stored for at least 3 months. Identifying optimal storage times for various adsorbents and odours will be a focus for the Scent Camera team. While we do not have direct experience storing samples for extended periods (more than 5 years), some scientists have reported successful storage for such durations. However, a critical time threshold exists, during which some molecules may deteriorate on the adsorbent. For example, scientists have indicated that the most significant changes in VOCs captured on Tenax TA occur within the first seven days, after which the sample stabilizes for potential longer-term storage.
Step 3: Desorption (Playing). The trapped odour molecules are later released for experience or analysis. Desorption occurs when energy, often in the form of heat, pressure change, or displacement by other molecules, overcomes the attractive forces holding the odour molecules to the adsorbent surface. Like playing back a recording, the bread’s aroma can be released in a different location through controlled desorption, allowing someone to experience its odour long after the bread was baked
This technology has different applications with varying methodologies:
For human experiences, imagine a aromagrapher capturing the complex aroma of a pine forest after rainfall using a portable device containing a carefully formulated adsorbent mixture including zeolite and other materials. The device draws air through the adsorbent, which selectively traps terpenes, petrichor compounds, and other forest odour molecules. Later, these nature odours can be released at room temperature in a city apartment through airflow techniques, bringing the outdoors inside without distorting the delicate odour profile.
For scientific purposes, researchers might collect soil odour samples from an archaeological site using Tenax TA powder, a porous polymer resin specially designed for trapping volatile compounds. In the lab, they can analyze these samples using thermal desorption techniques to identify biomarkers and volatile organic compounds that indicate past human activity, food preparation, or animal presence — information invisible to other archaeological methods.
Laboratory analysis often uses high heat (200–600°C) to release all molecules for detailed study through a process called thermal desorption. This technique enables scientists to identify the specific compounds that make ripe strawberries smell different from unripe ones by completely releasing all trapped molecules into analysis equipment. However, for human enjoyment, gentler release methods at near-ambient temperatures preserve the odour’s natural character, which would otherwise be distorted by high heat.
odour identification enables recreation. After capturing a vintage wine’s bouquet using a specialized adsorbent matrix, scientists can analyze its components through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry during controlled desorption. This analysis yields a detailed “fingerprint” of the wine’s aromatic profile, allowing perfumers or food scientists to recreate similar odour experiences by mixing the identified compounds — preserving ephemeral olfactory experiences for the future.
5. What Odours Captivated My Interest?
During my initial odour recording expedition in South America, I identified four primary odour categories that captivated my interest, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities for aromagraphy:
Ambient odours as Place Markers: These are the subtle, pervasive aromas that define a location’s character. They provide vital contextual information, such as the earthy, urban odour mixed with the distinct smell of urine and poverty in Manaus, the river’s chemical tang in Buenos Aires, the festive yet waste-tinged atmosphere of Rio Carnival, the broken sewage odour of Asunción, or the lush, dense vegetal odour of the Amazon rainforest. Capturing these fleeting odours requires a lightweight, highly portable Scent Camera, a capability that current kits are still striving to achieve.
odours as Cultural Rituals: This category encompasses the aromas associated with significant human cultural practices, often imbued with deep emotional or spiritual meaning. Examples include the incense-filled air of Lavagem do Bonfim ceremonies, the odours of Yemanjá rituals, the vibrant and varied aromas of Salvador Carnival, the smoky, woody odour of Indian funeral pyres, the pungent preparation of ritualistic blood-based drinks, or the aromatic juniper of Latvian pagan rituals. These odours are crucial for understanding and preserving cultural heritage.
Culinary odours: This group focuses on the readily recognizable aromas of regional cuisines, such as the spicy acarajé, the rich asida, Argentinian grilled meats, yerba mate, and the distinctive notes of Brazilian cachaça and Rio rum. These odours are often more stable and predictable, making them excellent subjects for initial aromagraphy experiments.
Botanical odours: This category centers on the diverse aromas of the plant world, including jasmine, camphor, roses, and the unique odours of Atlantic Forest. These odours can vary significantly with seasons and time of day, demanding precise timing and observation for accurate capture.
These four categories illustrate the expansive potential of aromagraphy, ranging from environmental documentation to cultural preservation and artistic expression. However, the field offers countless other avenues for exploration, inviting aromagraphers to define their own unique areas of focus. The possibilities within aromagraphy are vast and untapped.
6. How Are Odours Recorded?
odour recording fundamentally involves capturing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that constitute a odour by pumping air through a odour capsule filled with adsorbent material. Various methodologies employ different adsorbent materials, air flow rates, and capture durations, each with unique characteristics and applications.
6.1 odour Capturing Methods
Scent Camera Testing Kit: The Scent Camera testing kit employs a high-volume approach, pumping approximately 144 liters of air per minute through a capsule containing cost-effective adsorbents such as zeolite, activated carbon, silica gel, or mixtures thereof. During a standard three-minute recording, the system processes around 352 liters of air, capturing sufficient VOCs for approximately 12 playback sessions. While the adsorbent coefficient (percentage of captured VOCs) may be lower than laboratory methods, the high volume of processed air results in substantial overall VOC capture. The odour capsule, filled with adsorbent, has been reused at least 30 times in our experiments.
Laboratory-Based VOC Capture: Scientific applications typically utilize Tenax TA, a considerably more expensive but highly sensitive adsorbent, for laboratory analysis using gas chromatography. These methods employ processing a smaller volume of air over a longer period of time. This approach prioritizes capturing a small, highly concentrated sample for precise analysis rather than volume. Although the adsorbent coefficient is higher due to the sensitive material and low air-flow, the total number of captured molecules — particularly for volatile and less abundant odour components — might be significantly lower than with the Scent Camera’s high-volume approach.
Fiber-Based Capture: This alternative laboratory method uses specific fibers that attract VOCs. Compared to Tenax TA-based capture, this approach typically involves even longer capture times and lower air-flow rates.
The Scent Camera and laboratory-based methods differ significantly in their approach to odour capture:
Speed and Volume: The Scent Camera prioritizes rapid processing of large air quantities for multiple playback sessions, while laboratory methods are slower but yield highly concentrated samples suitable for precise analysis.
Adsorbent Efficiency: Laboratory methods using sensitive adsorbents like Tenax TA achieve a higher adsorbent coefficient, but the total number of captured molecules — especially for volatile and less abundant components — might be significantly lower than with the Scent Camera’s high-volume capture.
Odour Stability: Laboratory methods, with their extended capture times, face a greater risk of the scent being altered — a challenge minimized by the Scent Camera’s rapid capture approach
Important Note: These comparisons are based on current understanding and intuitive assessments. A rigorous scientific analysis is necessary to quantify and validate these observations. Controlled experiments, employing standardized measurement techniques, are crucial to determine the precise differences in capture efficiency.
6.2 Environmental Factors Affecting odour Recording
Concentration: The concentration of odour molecules in the air directly affects capture efficiency. Higher concentrations provide more molecules for adsorption, leading to better results. The Scent Camera, designed for rapid capture, benefits significantly from high molecule concentrations. Recording in enclosed spaces generally yields better results compared to capturing ambient odours in open, well-ventilated areas.
Wind: Wind dramatically alters the distribution and stability of odour molecules. Strong winds disperse odours, making them difficult to capture and introducing unwanted background odors. Stable, calm conditions allow for a more consistent and representative capture of the odour profile. odours recorded in windy environments will exhibit a much more rapidly changing profile.
Humidity: Humidity influences odour molecule volatility and adsorbent interaction. Some molecules evaporate more readily in humid conditions, potentially increasing their concentration in the air. Humidity affects the interaction between odour molecules and adsorbent materials, with some adsorbents performing better in specific humidity ranges. Evidence suggests humidity can impact VOC generation from certain organic sources. Capturing odours after rain or in high-humidity environments may increase the quantity of VOCs available for capture.
6.3 Experimentation Opportunities
Adsorbent Selection: Different adsorbents and their mixtures have varying affinities for specific VOCs, influencing the range and concentration of captured odour molecules. Experimenting with different materials might optimize capture for particular odour types.
Airflow Optimization: While high airflow facilitates rapid capture with the Scent Camera, lower airflow rates may be more effective for capturing subtle or volatile odours. Tailoring airflow to the specific odour characteristics might significantly improve capture quality.
Recording Duration: Recording duration is crucial for effective odour capture. Some odours can be effectively captured in a minute, while others may require significantly longer periods to achieve a qualitative recording. The optimal duration varies depending on odour concentration, volatility, and complexity.
Through careful manipulation of these variables, it becomes possible to tailor odour capture methodologies for optimal results. For instance, combining a highly sensitive adsorbent with low-airflow rate and extended recording time might be ideal for capturing faint and complex odours. Conversely, high airflow with a broader-range adsorbent and shorter recording time may better serve creating playback copies of stronger odours.
6.4 Current Capabilities and Challenges
The current Scent Camera testing kit excels at capturing high-concentration odours in enclosed spaces. It performs well with culinary odours (approximately 70% success rate) and shows promise with botanical odours. However, capturing ambient odours as place markers, culturally significant odours used in rituals, and human odours presents greater challenges requiring further investigation. Additional experimentation and data collection are needed to improve recording techniques for these diverse odour categories.
7. How Are Odours Stored?
Captured odours are stored in hermetically sealed capsules under refrigerated conditions. While the Scent Camera team has not yet conducted extensive experimentation with this storage method, it represents an area requiring further investigation
8. How Are Odours Released?
The traditional method for releasing captured odours involves heating the adsorbent material, which disrupts the intermolecular forces between the adsorbent and the odour molecules, allowing them to be expelled. However, this approach is unsuitable for our application. Heated air significantly alters odour perception and lowers the perceived quality of the recording very much. Moreover, heating changes the odour itself, much like the difference between the aroma of fresh and cooked tomatoes.
Instead, we employ a method utilizing pressure variations and pulsed airflow. This technique manipulates the adsorption-desorption equilibrium, enabling the release of odour molecules from the adsorbent with relatively low energy expenditure. This approach necessitates the use of adsorbents that effectively capture a broad range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) but do not form excessively strong bonds, facilitating efficient desorption.
Furthermore, we are exploring alternative desorption methods based on scientific principles. These include the application of low-frequency sound (ultra low sounds), infrared radiation, and electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields. Our ongoing experiments aim to identify the optimal desorption technique for a odour recorder intended for human olfactory perception.
9. What Multisensory Data Can Enrich Odour Recordings?
A aromagrapher can combine odour recordings with visual (image or video) and auditory (sound) information to create a multidimensional sensory experience. It would also be interesting to experiment with odour and touch (e.g., textured surfaces paired with odour), as well as odour and taste combinations (e.g., food aromas with corresponding visual or auditory cues). However, a odour recording on its own, without additional stimuli, can be enjoyable and powerfully evoke memories and emotions. While my personal experimentation with multisensory combinations has been relatively limited, I believe this area holds the greatest potential for advancing aromagraphy.
In my experience, image and odour are complementary. An image provides primary visual information about a place, object, or event. For example, a photograph of a bustling spice market is enriched when accompanied by the odour of cumin and cardamom, enhancing the viewer’s sense of immersion. odour supplements, corrects, or deepens this information. There are instances where odour can enhance image perception by improving emotional responses, increasing attention and memory retention, and creating a more favorable evaluation when the odour is congruent with the image or environment. For instance, the odour of lavender paired with an image of a calming sunset can heighten relaxation. Conversely, there are also cases where odour reveals new information about a place, environment, or object, but can cause unpleasant sensations if the odour conflicts with the visual information. Imagine a beautiful landscape photo paired with the unexpected odour of decaying fish; this discordance can create a powerful, albeit negative, impact.
Crossmodality researcher Bruno Mesz believes that the combination of sound and odour has the greatest potential for evoking emotional responses. Both of these media deliver signals to the parts of the brain responsible for emotions. For instance, the sound of crackling fire paired with the odour of wood smoke can create a strong sense of warmth and nostalgia.
It would be interesting to try combining video with odour. However, it must be considered that odour adaptation, or habituation, occurs within 6–15 seconds of exposure. This means that individual odour release durations should be limited to a maximum of 15 seconds to maintain perceptual intensity and avoid sensory fatigue. Video and sound should have similar durations. For example, a 10-second video clip of a flower blooming, accompanied by the odour of that flower, and the sound of gentle wind, should be designed to maintain sensory impact. We are trying to build the Scent Camera around this knowledge.
10. What Sensory Combinations Intrigue Me Now and Why?
During my odour identification and recording expedition, I noticed that certain sensory combinations particularly intrigued me, highlighting distinct applications for aromagraphy, and revealing deeper insights into how we experience the world. The “why” behind this intrigue stems from a desire to capture the full, nuanced reality of a place or experience, going beyond the limitations of visual or auditory data alone.
Recording odours as Hedonic Value and Adding Photos to Share Unique odour Experiences: I recorded, or I would like to record, individual odours in their own right, such as the cupuaçu fruit in the Amazon, night-blooming jasmine in São Paulo, or the aromas of roasting corn and nuts at a local market. These odours were interesting and pleasurable to experience on their own. Why this intrigues me: It’s about capturing pure sensory delight, and sharing the often-overlooked beauty of olfactory experiences. Adding a photo provides context, enabling others to more fully understand and appreciate the odour. For example, capturing the sweet, tangy odour of a freshly cut pineapple in a market, paired with a vibrant photo of the fruit, allows viewers to almost taste the experience. Or, recording the earthy, damp odour of a rainforest trail, accompanied by a photo of the lush foliage, transports the viewer to that specific environment.
Recording odours as a Sensorial Background to Enhance Photos.This is my favorite application. I often capture, or I would like to capture, the background odour of a location, which tells a different story than the image itself. For example, the Brasília Cathedral is one of the world’s most beautiful structures, yet the entrance smells of urine, refuse, and unwashed people. In this case, the image and odour tell contrasting stories, enriching the viewer’s perception. Why this intrigues me: It reveals the hidden layers of reality, the often-unspoken truths that visuals alone cannot convey. It’s about capturing the complexity of a place, not just its surface beauty. Examples: The vibrant Carnival photos of Rio juxtaposed with the odour of street food, dirt, and refuse, the lush Amazon jungle images from Manaus with the earthy odor of the city, the colorful houses of Buenos Aires’ La Boca with the river’s toxic tang, and the modern Asunción skyline with the raw sewage smell. Further examples include capturing the odour of diesel fumes and bustling traffic alongside photos of a busy urban intersection, or the salty, fishy smell of a harbor alongside images of colorful fishing boats.
Recording odours as an Emotional Layer to Enhance Pictures or Videos: Although I couldn’t record this due to the absence of a Scent Camera test kit, São Paulo, with its asphalt and concrete, can be emotionally oppressive. However, I stumbled upon the Pauliste Jardin neighborhood, filled with private homes, where the gardens and trees created a refreshing odour combination. This dramatically changed my mood, despite the lack of visually compelling scenery. Why this intrigues me: It demonstrates the powerful emotional impact of odour, and how it can transform our perception of a place. It’s about capturing the intangible emotional landscape. Therefore, I would like to record this type of odour. Imagine capturing the blend of floral and leafy odours from a residential neighborhood’s gardens, paired with a video of the quiet, tree-lined streets, to convey a sense of peaceful respite amidst a bustling city. Or, recording the warm, baking bread odour from a local bakery, alongside a shot of the neighborhood’s storefronts, to capture a sense of community and daily life.
Recording odours Linked to Collective Memories and add to picture, video or sound. During this expedition, I recorded odours associated with collective cultural rituals: the Lavagem do Bonfim and Yemanjá festivals in Salvador. In these cases, the odour enhances the visual experience, adding emotional depth and enjoyment. This benefits both attendees and those unfamiliar with the events. Why this intrigues me: It’s about preserving cultural heritage and triggering shared memories. It’s about the power of odour to connect us to our past and to each other. For example, recording the incense and floral odours of a religious ceremony could trigger powerful emotional memories for those who attended, or offer a deeper understanding for those who didn’t.
Recording odours for Curiosity and New Learning Experiences and add to picture. In a Salvador park, I saw many palm trees, visually distinct from Baltic pines. However, I didn’t ponder the geographical differences until I smelled a palm. Its unique odour sparked my curiosity about the location and its distinct natural environment. Why this intrigues me: It highlights the power of odour to spark curiosity and learning. It’s about expanding our understanding of the world through a sense often neglected in traditional education. Recording the distinct aroma of a foreign spice market, for instance, can provide a unique educational experience, even if the viewer has never physically visited the location.
11. How Are Odours Identified?
Identifying suitable odours for recording presents unique challenges. Unlike visual or auditory assets, olfactory landscapes are poorly documented online. Searching for specific smells in cities like Buenos Aires, Salvador, or Rio de Janeiro yields limited results. Furthermore, odours are often ephemeral, appearing and disappearing unexpectedly, making it difficult to pinpoint ideal candidates for recording. However, I’ve tried out four primary methods: leveraging local domain experts for chosen events, utilizing AI services, engaging with local groups, and serendipitous discoveries.
I’ve stumbled upon numerous intriguing odour and audio-visual combinations in Manaus, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Bogotá, and São Paulo. This highlights the potential for accidental discovery, emphasizing the importance of carrying a odour recorder at all times. In these instances, the odour often revealed a visually hidden dimension to the location.
While AI services like ChatGPT, Claude.ai, and Gemini can provide suggestions, their reliability is inconsistent. I’ve received some useful answers, but also many abstract or inaccurate suggestions. For example, AI might suggest odours for places like Iguazu Falls, where I didn’t notice any strong odors, or provide descriptions of Rio de Janeiro’s smell that didn’t align with my experience. This is understandable, as humanity has not yet compiled a comprehensive database of olfactory information.
The most valuable method has been engaging with local individuals. This approach yields both obvious and insightful information. Locals can point out prominent odours, such as the smell of a river or garden, and also reveal less apparent but culturally significant aromas, as exemplified by the odours associated with the Lavagem do Bonfim and Yemanjá festivities
12. What Are the Main Challenges in Aromagraphy?
aromagraphy, as a naodour field, faces several key challenges that need to be addressed to ensure its growth and effectiveness.
Challenge 1: Optimizing odour Capture Parameters. A significant hurdle is determining the optimal parameters for odour recording. This involves understanding which odours, at what concentrations, should be captured, and which adsorbents, airflow speeds, recording times, and weather conditions will yield the best results. The complex interplay of these variables requires extensive research and experimentation to establish standardized protocols. For example, capturing a delicate floral odour demands different settings than recording the pungent aroma of a spice market, and both are affected by environmental factors like humidity and wind.
Challenge 2: Integrating odour with Other Media. Another major challenge is determining how to effectively present odour recordings alongside other media, such as images, audio, and video, and for what purpose. The integration of these sensory inputs needs to be carefully considered to create a cohesive and meaningful experience. For instance, should the odour be a subtle backdrop to a visual narrative, or a dominant element that drives the viewer’s emotional response? The intended purpose, whether it’s artistic expression, documentary, or educational, will significantly influence the integration strategy.
Challenge 3: Efficiently Identifying Valuable odour Assets. Finally, identifying valuable odour assets is crucial to avoid wasting time and resources during odour expeditions. Unlike visual or auditory assets, odours are often fleeting and poorly documented. This requires developing effective methods for scouting and selecting odours that are both representative and compelling. This may involve leveraging local knowledge, utilizing AI-assisted tools, or relying on serendipitous discoveries. The goal is to maximize the impact of odour recordings by focusing on assets that provide unique insights or emotional resonance.
13. Why is a Aromagrapher Community Important?
While technology, particularly artificial intelligence, can address many of the challenges in aromagraphy, the core challenges we, as aromagraphers, face will require collective efforts. Building a community is essential for us to learn from each other and to enable our AI models to learn from a broad set of experimental data. Only together can we create a comprehensive knowledge base of the world’s odours, grounded in local expertise and experience. Therefore, establishing a aromagrapher community is the crucial next step following the development of the first odour recorders, which will allow aromagraphers to experiment and unite.
I firmly believe that this endeavor is too complex for any individual to undertake alone. Only through collaborative effort can we forge a strong and dynamic community capable of advancing the field of aromagraphy. This community will foster knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation, all of which are necessary to discover and document the world’s olfactory landscapes.
14. What Are the Ethical Considerations in Aromagraphy?
aromagraphy, as it develops, demands careful ethical consideration due to odour’s intimate nature and potential impact. The main ethical considerations:
Consent and Cultural Respect: Informed consent is crucial, especially for human or culturally significant odours. Misuse or appropriation must be avoided.
Sensory Manipulation: aromagraphy’s ability to evoke powerful emotions requires mindful use. Immersive odour experiences or public odour releases must respect autonomy and emotional well-being, aiming to enhance, not exploit, sensory perception.
Sustainability: Environmentally responsible materials and processes are essential.
Accessibility: odour technology must be inclusive, considering diverse olfactory abilities and socioeconomic factors.
Open dialogue and ethical guidelines are needed to ensure responsible aromagraphy.
15. What Are the Projected Costs in Aromagraphy?
The projected costs for Aromagraphy equipment are designed to balance accessibility with the advanced technology involved. Our goal is to make this innovative sensory experience available to a broad audience, from individual enthusiasts to professional aromagraphers
Odour Capsules: We anticipate that individual odour capsules, containing the specialized adsorbent materials, will be priced between 20 and 30 euros. This price point reflects the cost of the high-quality adsorbents and the precision manufacturing required for reliable odour capture and release. Factors such as the type of adsorbent, capsule size, and production volume will influence the final price.
Scent Camera Testing Kits: For those looking to begin experimenting with aromagraphy, our odour testing kits, which include a basic odour capture and playback device along with a selection of odour capsules, are projected to be around 200 euros. These kits will provide a comprehensive starting point for understanding and exploring the fundamentals of odour capture and replay.
Multisensory Scent Cameras: Our flagship product, the multisensory Scent Camera, designed for professional use and advanced multisensory recording, is projected to be priced below 500 euros. This price point reflects our commitment to making advanced aromagraphy technology accessible. This device will integrate odour capture with high-quality audio and visual recording capabilities, enabling the creation of rich, immersive sensory experiences.
These projected costs are subject to change based on factors such as component pricing, manufacturing advancements, and market demand. As the technology matures and production scales, we aim to further reduce costs, making aromagraphy an increasingly accessible medium for creative expression, documentary, and research.
***The development of the Scent Camera is supported by various research and development grants managed by the Latvia Investment and Development Agency. The Scent Camera is a key partner in the SCENTinel Project, titled ‘Climate Changes and Scent Heritage: The Urgent Need for Capturing and Preserving Olfactory Landscapes in a Changing World.’ This project, co-funded by the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPI CH) and coordinated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Chemical Engineering, focuses on the preservation of odours as a matter of historical, cultural, and social significance. As climate change increasingly threatens valuable scent landscapes and the objects that produce them, the odourinel Project partners will identify, evaluate, protect, preserve, and digitize these olfactory aspects of our human heritage to prevent their loss.
