iSmell, by
digiscents, is a new
peripheral for PCs that sits on your desktop near your monitor. When activated by software, the iSmell releases scents from
cartridges installed in the unit in amounts set by the software.
Potential uses of this, as illustrated by digiscents, include the smell of
burning rubber when braking in car sims, the smell of burnt gunpowder after shots are fired in first person shooters, the smell of fruit in a wacky
side-scroller game where you have to jump over fruit, the smell of damp bat guano in a
dungeon crawl, and the smell of zombies in a
Resident Evil style horror game. I can only imagine the horror of being a tester for the later game... "We've implemented some new 'putrid' levels in the zombies, so you testers need to give us feedback." (ten minutes later) "No, too putrid! TOO PUTRID! AAAUUGGHH!!!"
Well, it's hardly surprising, but this technology failed to get off the ground. iSmell is now dead, a victim of the current investment market. Digiscents shut down Wednesday, April 11, 2001. Twenty million dollars were invested in the company. Investors pulled the plug, however. But, the founders of the company are still trying to license the technology and start over.