SUNNYVALE, Calif.— Elevated Perceptions, a provider of immersive gaming and entertainment experiences has launched “MovieScent,” an AI-powered device that the company says releases real-time scents based on events and environments within movies, TV shows, televised sporting events and streams.
The concept of smelling what one views on the screen is not new; the innovation was attempted in the early 1960’s with the release of “Scent of Mystery” in movie theaters specially equipped to release certain odors timed with particular scenes. There were no odor-ific sequels.
This is the first time, however, that a device is being marketed to home TV viewers. MovieScent will ship in September for $179.99 MSRP on MovieScent.com and Amazon.com, and will be available at all major retailers in the fall. Consumers who purchase MovieScent before the end of September can get it for a discounted introductory price of $149.99 USD.
“Users watching a romantic beach scene can now ‘smell’ the ocean and ‘taste’ the salt in the air, leading to a much deeper emotional connection to their favorite content,” the company said in announcing the launch. MovieScent comes pre-bundled with six individual scent bottles, each able to release over 4,000 times. These scents include: “Ocean,” “Fresh Cut Grass,” “Restaurant,” “Forest,” and “Storm.” The product also comes with “Clean Air,” a scent that is released manually by the user to neutralize previously released scents to bring the “environment” back to its natural state. MovieScent can be customized by each user to include the many other scents already available from Elevated Perceptions.
Elevated Perceptions says MovieScent is “compatible with every movie and game ever made as well as a wide range of devices including all TVs, PCs, mobile phones, tablets, gaming systems and virtual reality (VR) headsets,” and “can be used anywhere someone is watching content.”
The company says it uses a “state-of-the-art” adaptor that captures audio in real-time through HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, or Optical audio cable connections. Audio is then processed by proprietary AI technology, which identifies key cues and events within the content. The AI-identified scent is then released from the scent atomizer, creating an instantaneous and synchronized sensory experience, the company said.
Additional scents available within the next few weeks include: “Fire,” “Jungle,” “Zombie,” “New Car,” and “Blood.” Each bottle is easy to install and is expertly crafted to sync with users’ favorite scenes to provide a rich, multisensory journey within a wide range of genres. Forty additional scents will launch over the next few months to further immerse viewers and help bring the viewing experience to life like never before.
“Watching TV and movies no longer has to be a passive experience as MovieScent can bring you closer to the content than ever before,” said Dean Finnegan, CEO, Elevated Perceptions. “By integrating the sense of smell into TV, sports and movies, MovieScent, or ‘Smell O Vision’ as we like to call it, offers an unparalleled experience that goes beyond sight and sound.”
Elevated Perception says integrating scents into movies, TV and streams enhances realism, emotional connections and increased immersion.
