Live scent | ɘvil stench

About this book:

The book explores the potential – and perils and pitfalls – of the new technology of pervasive adaptation. Miniaturisation and Moore’s Law have combined to make pervasive computing (ambient environments and artifacts saturated with sensors and processors) a reality; while advances in intelligent software (machine learning, self-modifying code, etc.) make adaptation of those pervasive computing environments possible. This opens up a wide range of interesting and beneficial applications in health, commerce and entertainment; it also opens up the possibility of every behaviour, preference and even emotion being sensed and recorded digitally. And then, possibly, being used in a way that is less desirable: for surveillance, invasions of privacy, reduction or removal of rights, advertising – even unexpected uses caused by inadvertent loss of the data. This book will investigate the science and technology of pervasive adaptation from a human-centred perspective, and consider the social, ethical, and legal issues. It will offer both an overall view of innovative technologies from a techno-political standpoint, with recommendations where research should or perhaps even should not go, as well as bringing up specific controversial issues, on which the contributors might not be in full agreement.

About Jenny Tillotson's chapter:

This chapter investigates Pervasive Computing and olfaction, our most primitive and powerful sense. It describes the pros and cons of sensory clothing and ubiquitous computerised scent technologies in this world scientific book that explores the potentials, perils and pitfalls of the new technology of ‘pervasive adaptation’. Pervasive computing is now a firm reality, opening up wide ranging beneficial applications in health, commerce and entertainment. The book offers a comprehensive view of innovative technologies from a techno-political standpoint, with recommendations to suggest where research should or should not venture in the future. It offers the possibility of every emotion, behaviour and preference being sensed and recorded digitally, and used in a less desirable manner, e.g. for removal of rights, breach of trust, surveillance and invasion of privacy.

The concepts provided in this chapter all stem from research on evidenced-based essential oils, chemo-sensory/olfaction science and human behaviour which I have been researching since my PhD. It relates to my other outputs because the focus is largely on the benefits of healthcare, wellbeing and sensing human behaviour in the digital age and research I am undertaking at the Institute of Biotechnology, University of Cambridge. The research builds on earlier work on eScent® (funded by the AHRC in 2004), working prototype devices from the ‘Brave New Unwired World’ catwalk show by Charmed Technology Inc. (MIT Media Lab wearable computing spinout company in 2000) and award-winning PhD work from the Royal College of Art (1997).

The chapter considers social, ethical and legal issues and suggests what might happen should the human computer interaction of sensory clothing become the norm. The research highlights controversial issues around the sense of smell and how this influences our daily lives. It investigates the benefits of ‘live scent’ technologies and extreme downfalls of ‘evil stench’ technologies worn by a future society. The chapter concludes with a mirror image of the positive ‘live’ benefits, verses ‘ɘvil’ examples of what could potentially go wrong should these scent technologies got into the wrong hands and were abused by a deceitful, authoritarian and manipulative society.

The chapter is supported by a number of lectures, exhibitions, websites and workshops which are all part of the dissemination work of ‘PerAda’, (Pervasive adaptive Network),a Future and Emerging Technologies Proactive Initiative funded by the European Commission under FP7 (2008-2011). See website http://www.perada.eu/

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