The Premise. Ever hear of that hoax involving a TV station claiming to transmit scent through a product called Smellovision? And hundreds of people claimed to smell it? It seems that these folks really wanted a way to smell scents through their devices.
The Product. Introducing the oPhone DUO, a new way to send scents along with text messages to give your friends a full sensory experience. It is an iPad sized device with two pillars that raise up a diffuse scent to the receiver. Using several oChips that work together, the device is able to produce over 300,000 unique aromas. With its accompanying app, the user can take a photo of a place, food, drink, etc., choose different scents to pair it with and send it off to the recipient. From their phone, the recipient can open the image and scent and use the oPhone DUO to smell it.
The Pitch. The stylish campaign video oozes Parisian style and sophistication, but offers no smells. In the remainder of the campaign, different photos show oPhone DUO users smelling the device, which looks a little funny. The creator also explains different attempts at smell-transmitting devices in the past that have failed, which doesn’t exactly evoke the sweet smell of victory. This odorous product hopes to raise $150,000 in its month and a half long Indiegogo campaign.
The Perks. For $199 backers can enjoy the oPhone DUO along with a set of different smelling oChips. Higher tiers offer more smell varieties. Reward tiers reach up to $20,000 with an estimated delivery date of April 2015. Stretch goals set at $300,000, $2,000,000, and $5,000,000 are set for more scents, a smaller oPhone DUO version and an aromatic camera.
The Potential. Other products have tried and failed to produce scent to accompany pictures and sounds. For instance, the iSmell operated under the same concept as the oPhone, but failed miserably in its attempt to work. It seems a little strange to want to send someone else smells. And the device begs the question, does it deal in bad smells as well? Still, if aromas are your game and you’re looking for a way to connect on an olfactory level with a loved one, what better way than to do so with the oPhone DUO?