Systems and techniques for generating scent
Described herein are systems and techniques for generating odor impressions of scents. Some embodiments provide odor impressions in an extended reality (XR) environment (e.g., virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR)). The system determines spatial characteristics of an odor impression that is to be generated in the XR environment. The system generates one or more commands for generating the odor impression based on the spatial characteristics. The system transmits the command(s) to a controller for execution. The controller may control dispersal of scented media to generate the odor impression.
1. A system for generating odor impressions for a user while the user interacts with a computer-generated environment, the system comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
recognize, in the computer-generated environment, an object that is configured to generate a scent to be experienced by the user while in proximity of the object;
determine at least one value based on the recognized object in the computer-generated environment, the at least one value indicating a scent descriptor relating to one or more scented mediums to be dispersed to generate an odor impression of the scent; and
transmitting a command to a controller based on the at least one value, wherein the command, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to disperse the one or more scented mediums to generate the odor impression of the scent for the user.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one value indicating the scent descriptor comprises a string indicating the scent descriptor.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein recognizing, in the computer-generated environment of the user, the object that is configured to generate the scene to be experienced by the user while in proximity of the object comprises:
communicating, through an application programming interface (API), with an engine configured to generate the computer-generated environment of the user to obtain information about objects in the computer-generated environment and/or a position of the user in the computer-generated environment; and
recognizing the object using the information obtained from the engine.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein instructions cause the at least one processor to:
generate the command at least in part by encoding an identification of the scent descriptor into the command.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one value indicating the scent descriptor comprises determining at least one value indicating a scent description related to a plurality of scented mediums to be dispersed, wherein a combination of the plurality of scented mediums generates the odor impression of the scent.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one value indicating the scent descriptor comprises determining a characteristic of the scent to be experienced by the user while in proximity of the object.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one value indicates a duration and/or intensity of the one or more scented mediums to be dispersed to generate the odor impression of the scent; and
the command, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to disperse the one or more scented mediums according to the intensity and/or duration.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is integrated into an augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) headset.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
trigger output of one or more odorant in the computer-generated environment, the one or more odorant components having virtual geometry that spatially represents the scent to be experienced by the user while in the proximity of the object.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
periodically scan the computer-generated environment of the user to recognize any objects configured to generate scent.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one value based on the recognized object in the computer-generated environment comprises determining value indicating intensities at which to disperse multiple scented mediums to generate the odor impression by:
determining initial values indicating intensities at which to disperse the multiple scented mediums; and
modifying the initial values to obtain the values indicating the intensities at which to disperse the multiple scented mediums to generate the odor impression.
12. A method for generating odor impressions for a user while the user interact with a computer-generated environment, the method comprising using at least one processor to perform:
recognizing, in the computer-generated environment, an object that is configured to generate a scent to be experienced by the user while in proximity of the object;
determining at least one value based on the recognized object in the computer-generated environment, the at least one value indicating a scent descriptor relating to one or more scented mediums to be dispersed to generate an odor impression of the scent; and
transmitting a command to a controller based on the at least one value, wherein the command, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to disperse the one or more scented mediums to generate the odor impression of the scent for the user.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein recognizing, in the computer-generated environment of the user, the object that is configured to generate the scene to be experienced by the user while in proximity of the object comprises:
communicating, through an application programming interface (API), with an engine configured to generate the computer-generated environment of the user to obtain information about objects in the computer-generated environment and/or a position of the user in the computer-generated environment; and
recognizing the object using the information obtained from the engine.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
generating the command at least in part by encoding an identification of the scent descriptor into the command.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the at least one value indicating the scent descriptor comprises determining at least one value indicating a scent descriptor related to a plurality of scented mediums to be dispersed, wherein a combination of the plurality of scented mediums generates the odor impression of the scent.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the at least one value indicates a duration and/or intensity of the one or more scented mediums to be dispersed to generate the odor impression of the scent; and
the command, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to disperse the one or more scented mediums according to the intensity and/or duration.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the at least one value indicating the scent descriptor comprises determining a characteristic of the scent to be experienced by the user while in proximity of the object.
18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
triggering output of one or more odorant components in the computer-generated environment, the one or more odorant components having virtual geometry that spatially represents the scent to be experienced by the user while in the proximity of the object.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method for generating odor impressions for a user while the user interact with a computer-generated environment, the method comprising:
recognizing, in the computer-generated environment, an object that is configured to generate a scent to be experienced by the user while in proximity of the object;
determining at least one value based on the recognized object in the computer-generated environment, the at least one value indicating a scent descriptor relating to one or more scented mediums to be dispersed to generate an odor impression of the scent; and
transmitting a command to a controller based on the at least one value, wherein the command, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to disperse the one or more scented mediums to generate the odor impression of the scent for the user.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein determining the at least one value indicating the scent descriptor comprises determining at least one value indicating a scent descriptor related to a plurality of scented mediums to be dispersed, wherein a combination of the plurality of scented mediums generates the odor impression of the scent.