Sound as Perfume

[Skills used: machine olfaction research, music production, 3D modeling, 3D printing, model making]

Our world is shaped according to our sensory perception. But as technology advances, we will see our senses evolve and expand. as they do, so too will our world change. Butterflies taste through their feet. Were we butterflies, the floor in a restaurant would be of much greater concern than it is now.

Sound and music has mostly manifested in performance, entertainment, and physical media. But we see a shift to a more etherial concept of access and ownership. Coupled with the miniaturization of listening devices, and the expanding concept of what constitutes music, it could be said to exist almost as perfume. It envelopes us throughout the day, affecting our mood, and when sensed by others when we are close, it can linger.

To bridge these two ideas, sound as perfume begins with a tulip. Machine olfaction is used to bring this tangible but abstract aroma into a digital medium, where it can be manipulated. Then, the olfactory data is used to generate music, and the music to design a perfume bottle.