Smells of the Metaverse

When we think about immersion in the metaverse, visuals and sound usually dominate the conversation. But scent is one of the most emotionally evocative senses we have—and one of the hardest to replicate with digital tools.

Unlike light and sound, which can be easily projected and controlled within bounded hardware like screens and speakers, smell disperses and lingers. It fills a room, clings to fabric, and varies in perception depending on individual biology. This makes it one of the most complex senses to simulate in XR (extended reality).

The Complexity of Digital Scent

The human olfactory system is deeply tied to memory and emotion. A single whiff can conjure childhood, trauma, or nostalgia. But our biology is not uniform—what smells pleasant to one person might be irritating to another. Reproducing smells in a way that feels natural and safe across global user bases requires fine-grained customization, real-time dispersal control, and failsafes against allergies or overstimulation.

Imagine a future with olfactory file formats—what we might playfully call “.scent” files—that embed smell data into digital experiences. That’s speculative, but some foundational work is already underway.

Real-World Prototypes and Research

A Japanese professor recently developed a lickable TV screen prototype that mimics flavor. It’s a playful but important example: XR isn’t just about seeing and hearing—touch, taste, and smell are part of the roadmap.
Companies like OVR Technology are pioneering scent-based VR add-ons that release microbursts of smell tied to environmental cues.
Feelreal has explored multisensory VR masks that include aroma modules.

These early products are clunky and limited, but they show that scent isn’t off the table. In the same way that early VR was mocked for low fidelity before becoming widely adopted, scent may follow a similar trajectory.

Why Scent Matters

Smell can:

Enhance realism in VR storytelling (think: forest pine, ocean breeze, smoky battlefields)
Increase immersion in food-related experiences, from restaurant previews to cooking simulations
Deepen emotional resonance in therapeutic VR (e.g., calming lavender or nostalgic smells)
Add novelty and play to games, concerts, and social VR meetups

Challenges and the Road Ahead

Hardware limitations: Delivering consistent, clean, and non-lingering scents is far harder than flashing a light or playing a sound.
User safety: Scents must not trigger allergies or overwhelm senses.
Content design: Developers need authoring tools and standards for olfactory layers in immersive content.

Still, the potential is there. If and when smell becomes part of the metaverse’s sensory palette, it could be the final puzzle piece for true multisensory immersion. Until then, smell remains the missing sense—haunting our visions of virtual reality, just beyond digital reach.

Or, to reframe a well-known dilemma: The metaverse won’t feel fully real until we can smell the popcorn.