Atmospheror: Towards an Olfactory Interactive System for Enhancing Social Presence and Interaction in Synchronous Online Classes

Synchronous online classes have become increasingly common in recent years. However, students and instructors often face challenges when giving and receiving reactions and feedback. Existing solutions include audio and visual cues, which often act as distractions. A potential alternative is olfactory cues. This paper proposes Atmospheror, an interactive system that supports interaction and feedback between students and instructors through an ambient olfactory display. We performed a pilot study with two instructors and 13 students to evaluate the effectiveness of Atmospheror and its design and implementation, applying both quantitative and qualitative methods. Preliminary results indicate that Atmospheror can promote students’ concentration and increase interactivity in online classes. User interviews provided suggestions for future enhancements of the selection and treatment of odor, hardware implementation, and interface system mechanisms.