The tech industry often gives us an odd gizmo, or two. Like a talking AI pin with a holographic display, a furry robot that nibbles on your fingers, or a handheld breathing gadget to replace the cuddly pets. They’re not always practical, but on a few occasions, luck strikes twice.
Take for example the Asus Fragrance Mouse, which the company first showcased at the annual tech pilgrimage that is CES earlier this year. I never thought it would make it to the shelves, but I’m glad I was wrong. Asus has officially announced it as a standalone product in its home market, and it is coming to the US.
It’s a fully-functional mouse, but the real gem is a dedicated compartment on the underside where you can fill any aromatic oil of your choice. I quite like this approach, because Asus is not limiting buyers to a pricey proprietary contraption, and letting them pick any aromatic flavored oil to suit their mood.
Oh, the sheer potential for pranks here!
“The removable vial can be washed and refilled with different scents,” adds the company. This won’t be the first project of its kind. eScent created a wearable device in the form of a necklace, which released a special scent to create an aroma bubble around the user based on their emotional or physical state.
Then there are phone cases that can activate by scratching, releasing a fragrance due to surface friction. At CES 2023, a company named OVR announced the ION 3 wearable scent kit for XR hardware, capable of producing hundreds of unique scents using a system of cartridges.
Experts at the City University of Hong Kong and Beihang University in Beijing developed a wearable sensor that looks like a patch, and connects to a VR headset. Based on miniaturized odor generators, it used perfumed wax to produce scents in less than two seconds.
Coming back to the Asus Fragrance Mouse, it seems like the most mainstream attempt at integrating some olfactory bliss with consumer tech. The company hasn’t said how much it’s going to cost, but looking at the overall build and the modest tech specs, it shouldn’t go beyond the realm of expensive RGB-armed gaming mice.
The unique Asus mouse comes with a thumb rest on the side, and offers a three-stage DPI adjustment system that peaks at a respectable 2,400 dpi. The company is also promising a 10-million-click-lifespan and also serves dual-mode connectivity over Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless lanes.