Artwork class stinks! Be taught with scent in artwork class utilizing this olfactory show

By Maria Nikoli, Interplay Designer, MSc., Malmö College

Smelling is essential to our on a regular basis residing. However how nicely do we actually perceive the function that smells play in our day-to-day? Ask somebody who quickly misplaced their sense of scent due to COVID-19. They’ll in all probability inform you about how extremely boring consuming turned unexpectedly, and the way their roomies saved them from consuming a foul-smelling, spoiled block of cheese that had zero mould on it. 

The sense of scent is tremendous necessary, because it makes life pleasurable, and helps us detect hazard. It’s additionally intrinsically related to reminiscence and emotion. You in all probability know what it’s wish to scent one thing and get an on the spot flashback – it nearly seems like time journey. 

But, olfaction (a elaborate phrase for the sense of scent) is usually ignored in each HCI and artwork schooling. Constructing on that, “Artwork Class Stinks!” is an interactive system for studying with scent in artwork class whereas serving to the scholars develop into extra conscious of their sense of scent.

The prototype consists of two parts. The primary element is a cell app that guides the consumer via processes of studying and being artistic with scent, provides directions for artistic duties and scent consciousness duties, and archives the customers’ artwork. The second element is an olfactory show (OD). The OD consists of a scent package and an Arduino-powered interactive board outfitted with LED lights and RFID tag readers. Navigating the app, the consumer will get prompted to do a number of artistic duties utilizing the scents for inspiration. Additionally they get prompted to do scent identification duties to lift their very own consciousness of their sense of scent. The interactive board hyperlinks every scent be aware to the software program and likewise signifies the methods through which the consumer can sniff the scent notes. 

Discover out extra about this challenge on Instagram (@marianikolistudio) and Malmö College’s digital archive.