ScentHaptics: Augmenting the Haptic Experiences of Digital Mid-Air Textiles with Scent

Human perception of touch is a complex interplay of sensory inputs, extending beyond tactile stimuli to include visual and auditory cues. Yet, the potential of olfactory cues (e.g., scents) to enrich our understanding and experiences of digital touch remains largely unexplored. This paper explores the integration of scent with digital haptic feedback, specifically focusing on the perception of textiles using an ultrasonic mid-air haptic device. In an initial validation study, we identified scents associated with the tactile properties of roughness, smoothness, coldness, and warmth based on participant ratings (n = 31). In a subsequent immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experiment, we explored how these scents might affect perceptions of digital textiles presented using ultrasonic mid-air haptics (n = 32). Our results suggested that while scents did not affect the tactile properties of digital textiles, participants reported the sensations feeling more realistic and more arousing according to the scent delivered. This multimodal integration of scent with digital haptic stimuli can open up the creation of more immersive experiences and more in-depth understanding of digital material properties.