Abstract

The human olfactory system provides an abundance of information about our environment. The olfactory system utilizes the sensation of aromas for detection, recognition, discrimination, and scaling (Barfield & Danas, 1996). Furthermore, neuroanatomically, in comparison to the visual and auditory systems, the olfactory system has many more direct connections to the limbic system of the brain where emotions and affects are regulated (Kandel & Schwartz, 1985). Knasko and Gilbert (1990) found that even the suggestion of aromas affect reported levels of pleasure and mood. There is strong evidence that aromas can be effective in manipulating mood, decreasing stress, as well as, improving recall and retention of learned materials (Youngblut, Johnson, Nash, Wienclaw, & Will, 1996). It has been demonstrated that the introduction of aromas can have a positive effect on signal detection performance accuracy and serve to reduce the vigilance decrement (Dember, Warm, & Parasuraman, 1995). In addition, it has been suggested that olfactory stimulation may facilitate a greater sense of virtual presence (Cater, 1992; Robinett, 1992). These are powerful examples of the utility and endowments of the olfactory system. In spite of this, olfaction has been largely ignored within the scope of most virtual environments (VEs). Currently most VEs are designed to stimulate primarily the visual system, with some systems incorporating auditory and/or haptic stimulation. Problems associated with early olfactory stimulation systems (OSS's), including a slowly diminishing scent, little control over localization, mixing of scents delivered in close temporal proximity, and a build-up of residue, have been resolved by recent technological developments in new OSS's (Sadowski, 1999). With the technological barriers to effective presentation of olfactory information overcome, VE researchers and developers have the ability to utilize aromas to create more authentic environments and scenarios.

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