Demonstrating Trigeminal-based Interfaces

ABSTRACTWe demonstrate two trigeminal-based interfaces. The first provides a temperature illusion that uses low-powered electronics and enables the miniaturization of simple warm and cool sensations. Our illusion relies on the properties of certain scents, such as the coolness of mint or hotness of peppers. These odors trigger not only the olfactory bulb, but also the nose's trigeminal nerve, which has receptors that respond to both temperature and chemicals. The second is a novel type of olfactory device that creates a stereo-smell experience, i.e., directional information about the location of an odor, by rendering the readings of external odor sensors as trigeminal sensations using electrical stimulation of the user's nasal septum. We propose that electrically stimulating the trigeminal nerve is an ideal candidate for stereo-smell rendering. We demonstrate these interfaces by allowing an audience to stimulate an author and receive an explanation of the sensations.