Web connected robot gives your online notifications their own scent

Meet Olly: a small, rather minimalistically designed gadget which is, according to creator Mint Foundry, a 'web connected smelly robot.'  What does this mean?  If sight and sound are already stimulated by the very device with which you are reading this from, then imagine adding smell to this combination.

Your girlfriend/boyfriend messages you on Facebook or Twitter, for example.  Instantly your nasal capacity is filled with the scent of their perfume, due to Olly emitting that individual scent as part of the notification.  We can't help but find this both kind of creepy; but also a really charming idea (complimented by the 'homemade' style of the video, almost as adorable as the Little printer).

Setting up the Arduino powered robot is simple: get yourself an Olly, which isn't on sale yet, they're still looking for pledges on their Kickstarter project surrounding the concept (stack more than one on top of each other to allow for different scents for different notifications).  Download an application on your computer and link your social profiles to it.  Add whatever scent/s you desire, sit back and sniff everytime somebody shows you some metaphorical online love.

It's a strange concept to say the least.  Does the concept of smell have a logical place on the internet?

Source: Olly, Kickstarter

Jason England

I am the freelance tech/gaming journalist, lover of dogs and pizza enthusiast. You can follow me on Twitter @MrJasonEngland.

http://stuff.tv/team/jason-england
Previous
Previous

What if Skyrim was set in 2012? [VIDEO]

Next
Next

Murdoch tweets about Myspace: ‘We Screwed Up in Every Way Possible’