System and method for generating olfactory stimuli
A device or system is provided that provides olfactory stimuli, and includes a piezoelectric vibration device that is used to produce scents corresponding to actions performed in a VR or AR environment, or other application. In some implementations, a user interacts with one or more game elements within a game program being executed by a game engine, and responsive to the interaction, the game engine may communicate a series of commands that cause a piezoelectric device of the device to generate scents to be experienced by the user.
1. A system comprising:
a processor;
at least one piezoelectric element controllably coupled to the processor;
one or more scented media; and
an interface adapted to receive one or more commands from an external content processor, wherein the processor is configured to, responsive to the received one or more commands, control the at least one piezoelectric element to deliver an output scent directly to a nose of a user using the one or more scented media, wherein the at least one piezoelectric element is positioned to provide scent output directly to the user's nose.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises one or more elements that contain respective ones of the one or more scented media.
3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more elements each includes a corresponding piezoelectric element that are controllably coupled to the processor.
4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the one or more commands includes at least one command that selectively controls an identified piezoelectric element to render a specific scent.
5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the one or more command includes a plurality of commands that selectively control more than one piezoelectric element to render a blended scent.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a programmable interface through which the external content processor may control the at least one piezoelectric element.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more commands each specified a duration and intensity value associated with a respective scent.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a housing, the housing comprising a physical coupling to a headset capable of being worn by the user.
9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the system includes hardware that delivers an olfactory output to the user, wherein the physical coupling positions the olfactory output of the system proximate to the user's nose.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor, the at least one piezoelectric element, the one or more scented media and the interface are part of a VR or AR device.
11. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more elements that contain respective ones of the one or more scented media are detachable from the system.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the commands from an external content processor are communicated responsive to an interaction of a user in an AR or VR realm.
13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the external content processor communicates proximity information to the system responsive to the user's interaction with one or more elements in the AR or VR realm.
14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one piezoelectric element comprises:
a tube having a proximal opening and a distal opening;
an aperture element coupled to the proximal opening of the tube, the aperture element having at least one aperture;
a piezoelectric element attached to a surface of the tube, the piezoelectric element adapted to receive an electrical signal that causes the piezoelectric element to vibrate and induce a wave along a length of the tube that forces a medium through the at least one aperture.
15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the tube is at least one of a cross-sectional shape of a square, a triangle, a polygon, a rectangle and a circle.
16. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the tube is adapted to receive the medium through the distal opening.
17. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the medium includes at least one of a solid, a liquid and a gel.
18. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the tube is adapted to receive a wick element that delivers a liquid medium to be dispersed.
19. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the piezoelectric element forms a unimorph element with the tube.
20. A computer-implemented method comprising acts of:
receiving, via an interface of a scent generating device, a data element defining at least one scent to be rendered;
processing, by a processor coupled to the interface, the received data element;
controlling, responsive to processing the received data element, at least one piezoelectric element to deliver an output scent identified by the received data element directly to a nose of a user using scented media associated with the scent generating device wherein the scent generating device includes at least one piezoelectric element that is positioned to provide scent output directly to the user's nose.
21. The computer-implemented method according to claim 20 , wherein the scent rendering device includes a plurality of scented media, and wherein the received data element uniquely identifies the output scent among the plurality of scented media to be rendered.
22. The computer-implemented method according to claim 20 , wherein the data element forms a stream of data, and the method further comprises an act of processing a received stream of data, the stream of data defining a plurality of scents to be rendered.
23. The computer-implemented method according to claim 20 , wherein the data element defining the at least one scent to be rendered defines a duration and an intensity value associated with the at least one scent to be rendered, and wherein the method further comprises controlling, responsive to processing the received data element, at least one piezoelectric element to deliver an output scent responsive to the defined duration and an intensity value associated with the at least one scent to be rendered.
24. The computer-implemented method according to claim 20 , wherein the data element defining the at least one scent to be rendered defines a start command, and wherein the method further comprises an act of processing, by the processor responsive to the start command, one or more scent rendering commands defined by the data element.