Digital transformation is changing the way we experience and interact with the world around us, and this includes the way we experience scents. In recent years, evidence of this can be found in the perfume industry, which is beginning to undergo deep digital processes that integrate advanced technological capabilities such as artificial intelligence (AI). This is an area that holds great potential for innovation and change, but also presents more obstacles than others.
While sectors such as finance and insurance have undergone digital revolutions in recent decades, the digitization of smell faces unique challenges. The sector requires high investments in physical infrastructure such as laboratories and chemical compounds (CapEx), as well as operational expenses (OpEx) to recruit interdisciplinary talent, making it a more expensive sector and less flexible to change.
Additionally, smell is a sense that has not been studied as deeply as other senses, and therefore there is less academic research that can support its digitization. Smell is perceived as a complex sense with a less distinct semantic structure, which makes it difficult to create accurate and developed datasets for artificial intelligence. The lack of a deep understanding of this sense also makes it difficult for artificial intelligence professionals to develop effective and appropriate solutions.
Added to all this is the conceptual challenge that perfume is considered art, to create art that combines emotions, memories, and personal experiences. Art is a field that sometimes resists technological solutions, as it seeks to preserve the individuality and uniqueness of the work. This is also why artificial intelligence solutions in this field are sometimes met with distrust and skepticism from the public and professionals in the field.
To address these challenges, innovation and technological developments are needed to digitally simulate and convey olfactory experiences. This includes the ability to analyze and synthesize odors using software, and the use of AI to create new scents that can be tailored to each customer’s personal preferences. The field of artificial intelligence can offer new approaches to analyzing and understanding this complex sense, helping to bridge the gaps created by past lack of research and understanding.
Digital transformation in fragrance offers many opportunities for innovation but also poses difficult challenges. With advanced technological developments and an open approach to innovation, industries like the perfume industry can overcome obstacles and offer richer and more diverse experiences to consumers.
On artificial intelligence and fragrance
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that is changing the world at a rapid pace, and it is already beginning to impact a field that has been less accessible to automation and digital innovation: the field of fragrance. This is a gradual process that began with indirect applications that are not exclusively related to smell, such as analyzing consumer behavior in e-commerce transactions and social media. The goal of these uses is to create new scent products that better match the expectations and preferences of the general public, thus improving the fit between a product and its target audience.
In recent years, innovations in machine learning, bioinformatics, and drug discovery have led to the development of novel artificial intelligence models focused on understanding and formulating scents. These tools open up new possibilities for computers to “sense” scents and formulate them more accurately. The result of these innovations is an increasing openness of industry and stakeholders to venture capital in search of technological advancements.
The integration of AI into the fragrance process can be expressed in a variety of applications, for example: adapting existing fragrance formulas to new requirements and formulas, creating new molecules for fragrances, and deciding on formulations that will meet market needs. The ability to recommend formulas allows fragrance manufacturers to quickly adapt their hundreds of formulas to customer preferences, while creating higher profitability.
Artificial intelligence formulation is not intended to replace traditional perfume creation, but rather to serve as a supporting tool that empowers perfumers to make more accurate and optimal decisions. The ability to create and reformulate scents through software that predicts perceptual cues offers possibilities for optimizing scent profiles, improving supply chains, and addressing regulatory challenges.
Although scent creation is still not a linear process and it is difficult to create uniform perceptual datasets, the impact of AI on scent formulation is already starting to lead to impressive results. AI software can quickly create new formulas, optimize existing formulas, and produce personalized perfumes, while saving costs and generating new revenue.
Artificial intelligence in the field of scent promises to be an important factor in the future development of the perfume industry. It can lead to the creation of new products that connect more deeply with customers and innovate the way we experience and enjoy the world of scents.
Progress and development in the digital world
Advances in technology are opening doors to new experiences in the digital world, and one of these exciting experiences is the ability to experience smells digitally. Digital scent players are a breakthrough that allows people to send and receive scents in a way that was previously impossible. The main technological challenge in developing these players is to accurately simulate the experience of smell without the cross-contamination of different scents that can mix.
For example, ScentRealm, an innovative company from China, is making great strides in this area by developing products that enable the reproduction and delivery of fragrances using digital technology. The use of state-of-the-art micropumps and microvalves allows us to create more precise mechanisms that minimize cross-contamination and ensure a pure, unadulterated scent experience.
ScentRealm's innovations include new dry-mixing methods, as opposed to traditional aqueous methods, allowing for precise scent reproduction without the need for multiple, complicated chemical components. In addition, the technology allows for digital control of scents, via mobile devices such as smartphones, to create personalized, timed scent experiences.
The use of digital scent players is not limited to the home environment or gaming and entertainment experiences, but rather extends the boundaries to other areas such as virtual reality and augmented reality, where scents can enrich the virtual experience with another dimension.
At WPC 2024, Dr. Dong-Fang Chen will demonstrate applications of this cutting-edge technology and seek partners to develop and expand the field, including the use of scents in augmented reality. All of these represent the new frontier of olfactory experience in the digital age, highlighting the enormous potential to transform the way we experience, share and enjoy the world around us.
About the digital world and Kuni's scent diffuser
The quest for a perfect scent experience from within the home, which is not only rich but also convenient and accessible, is leading to great innovation in the field of digital scent players. This is where the Kuni scent diffuser comes into the picture, combining technology with the romance of fragrances, and is a chapter in this evolution. Kuni, which uses fine fragrance capsules, allows you to choose the perfect scent experience for you and adapt it to your mood, event or environment. Each capsule offers a unique scent experience and gives you the freedom to change the atmosphere in the room easily and quickly.
The quest for a perfect scent experience from within the home, which is not only rich but also convenient and accessible, leads to great innovation. Kuni's technology creates a new world of Scentware, where advanced and intelligent software works in harmony with fragrances that awaken the senses and influence the atmosphere. It promises to upgrade the home experience, while providing elegance and style with 2 trendy colors that suit every corner of the house. Kuni also offers a wide range of unique fragrances that are friendly to family, pets and the environment, all while maintaining a commitment to sustainability with the possibility of recycling the capsules.
In an era where technology makes every experience deeper and easier, Kuni is a clear example of how technological innovation can be brought to the service of our daily life experiences and enriched in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way.
In conclusion
In the modern world, the combination of AI and digital technologies in the field of fragrance opens a window to a future where olfactory experiences are personalized, inspiring and scheduled on demand. The integration of AI in this field enables smart and advanced scent developments like Kuni, which brings with it the potential to significantly change the way we experience and use scents in everyday life.
Kuni Smart Scent Diffuser Combining advanced, smart software with sensory-arousing scents. It is an advanced scent system that uses fine scent capsules, with each capsule representing a different and enjoyable experience. It is the transformation of scent into a digital experience that can be shared and adapted to the desired atmosphere at any given moment, all through a smart and simple user interface. Kuni's ability to transform scents into an advanced, personalized system is a direct result of the advancement of AI and digital technology.
When we look at the evolution of scent technology, it becomes clear that products like the Kuni Smart Scent Diffuser are part of a broader revolution of digital transformation and AI innovation. With its ability to deliver precise, personalized scents while remaining sustainable and environmentally conscious, Kuni represents the enormous potential for enhancing and enriching everyday life through smart technology. The future is here, and it’s full of scent.
