SCENT – THE FUTURE OF E-LEARNING?
Grzegorz Krzyśko
Department of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University ul. Umultowska 89b, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
krzysko@amu.edu.pl
Abstract: The e-learning has successfully developed new applications using scent.
Scent communication channels in human-computer interaction can support the learning process and improve the efficiency of learning. Olfactory information can serve to complement or supplement auditory learner, visual or tactile channels. This paper describes how to use scent in new technologies that have the potential to develop computer and Internet methods to support the educational process.
Keywords: scent, Shanonn-Weaver fragrance/scent model of communication, fragrance applications, education, human-computer interfaces.
INTRODUCTION
The use of modern technology and the media in the process of e-learning contributes to the creation of new forms of learning and communication between human and computer. In human - computer interactions there are potential communication channels which use not only the sense of sight or hearing, but also touch and sense of smell. Previous studies indicate that the use of several human senses in multimedia or multimodal interfaces is an effective way of acquiring and storing knowledge, based on the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, the dual- Coding Theory, and other relevant theories.
Understanding the psychological and physiological mechanisms of the sense of smell led to the use of scent as another medium of communication. Technological developments have contributed to the creation of computer systems using scents that encourage the creation of educational applications. New programs must at the same time meet the basic requirements of usability. According to Nielsen these are:
efficiency (how users perform tasks at the interface), learnability (how users learn to use the computer interface), memorability (what users remember about its usage),
errors (user errors performed at the interface, and how to recover from them) satisfaction (the subjective experience of comfort and motivation about
using an interface) (Garcia -R ui z et al., 2008).
Since the 90's there have been more and more applications using Virtual Reality (VR) in the field of learning and education, which extend the traditional 3D graphics world that include stereoscopic, acoustic, haptic and even other feedbacks, like smell and taste to create a sense of immersion. Previous studies have reported that compelling olfactory cues have the potential to enhance the sense of presence, invoke emotion, and provide salient spatial cues. Recent studies indicate that VR using the sense of smell may be used for the support of biology and biochemistry teaching (Gar ci a -Rui z et al., 2008; Ri char d 2006) .
Previous studies suggest that odors can play at least four functions in educational applications, provided that they are adequately chosen and adapted to the virtual environment and its context of use. Odors can be used to lower students 'anxiety, to foster students' motivation, to complement or supplement other student's sensory channels, and to enhance educational mental immersion in virtual reality environments. The use of scent in educational technology may increase its degree of usability, increase the effectiveness of learning and teaching as well as positively influence the motivation of users. Aim of this study is to analyze the possibility of combining scents with new technologies that have the potential to be used in e- learning (Gar ci a -R ui z et al., 2008).
1. SCENT AND MODEL OF COMMUNICATION
Felt scent is the carrier of information and may be treated as a medium. Fragrances have a special meaning, and can, in a spontaneous and invisible manner, transfer information that cannot be transferred by other media. Youngblut highlights that
"odors can be used to manipulate mood, increase vigilance, decrease stress, and improve retention and recall of learned materials". In 2006, Linda Buck and Richard Axel received a Noble Prize for decoding the first olfactory receptors. Their works allowed to explore how the brain discriminates among different odors and to reveal, using a genetic approach, the organization of the olfactory system (E msenh u ber 2011).
In everyday life, scent marketing uses scents to create a friendly atmosphere while shopping and to increase customers commercial activity. In order to improve the mood may special fragrances can be freed during a meeting in the halls and classrooms. Previous studies have shown that in many cases the smell affects the performance of tasks which require alertness and attention, solving mathematical problems. Role of smell in the process of learning and memorizing is increasingly being discussed during various trainings. Both scent marketing and psychological research on the effects of odors may help explain their importance in the process of
human-computer interaction. Smell is the carrier of specific information and its perception creates a specific communication channel (E msenh uber 2011).
1.1 Shanonn-Weaver Communication model
Transmission model of communication developed by Shannon and Weaver, also known as "the mother of all models", is one primary concept of technological communication process. In this model, the beginning is perceived as an information source that produces information. Then, the message gets converted into a signal through a transmitter (encoding) that reaches the channel and gets to the receiver and is sent to the recipient. Disturbance which may appear during the transmission of the message hinders decoding in the receiver (Emsenhuber 2011; K ul czycki 2012) (Figure 1).
F i gure 1. Shannon-Weaver model
Source: O wn el abor at i on based on (E msenhu ber 2011 )
In this model, the process of communication is used to transmit, transfer information, knowledge, ideas of feelings using technology - technical tools as a medium. According to Kulczycki, the model can be used to describe the transfer of bits between computers, but also to analyze the processes of teaching. According to McLuhan: "The medium is the message". Therefore, the scent as a medium can also be a message based on the Shannon-Weaver model, which carries additional information and a unique fragrance language (E msenhuber 2011; K ul czycki 2012) (Figure 2).
F i gure 2. Shannon-Weaver model for olfactory communication Source: O wn el abor at i on based on (E msenhu ber 2011 )
2. ODOR INTERACTION: Human – Computer
The concept of technological communication process based on the scent is used by computer scientists who create and develop human-computer interfaces based on new communication channels using the sense of smell and touch. Human-Computer interactions (HCI) are only possible if there is interface between human and computer, which is accepted by the users. Each interface requires the following functionalities:
the digitalization of physical information the transmission of information
the reproduction to physical information
In the case of HCI, three zones can be distinguished:
The interaction zone The notification zone The ambient zone
All of them are divided into five different zones resulting from the use of HCI interfaces (Figure 3).
F i gure 3. Interaction zones in Human-Computer interactions Source: O wn el abor at i on based on (E msenhu ber 2011 )
In zone A and B, the interaction requires physical contact between the system and the user. Therefore the exchange of information is carried out by haptic interfaces.
Zone C and D use visual information channel and in zone E only scent - related or
acoustic information is received. Communication takes place in ambient zone of interaction, and each odor emitted creates a scent aura called "Olfactory Interaction Zone." The technological development has enabled the use of interfaces that can produce or detect odors or volatile components. The olfactory displays which evaporate smell and olfactory sensors to detect it can be distinguished. According to the Shannon and Weaver model, this kind of technological systems enables useful communication, also in the description of the learning process (Emsenhub er 2011).
3. SCENT AND TECHNOLOGY
The first technological systems that use the sense of smell were introduced in the cinema by Hans E. Laube's Smell-o-Vision and Morton L. Heilig's Sensorama, which tried to expand the acoustic and visual experience by adding the scent channel. Further prototypes of new scent systems are created not only for entertainment and advertising, but also as an additional source of information, which also extends perceptions in the personalized human-computer interaction. In 2000, the Aromajet company developed a prototype of odor dispensing device called Pinoke, which can be installed on the user or on the computer (Figure 4).
F i gure 4. Pinoke
Source: O wn el abor at i on based on (E msenhu ber 2011 )
In 2001 DigiScents company produced iSmell device consisting of pots of oils infused with different scents that could generate new fragrances as a result of mixing primary odors. In 2004, NTT Communication created the first machine called AromaGeur that allows to send scented emails and was also used to create ambient smell when listening to the Tokyo FM in Japan. A year later a company named TriSenx produced a device called ScentDome which allowed the emission of odors while browsing the web. In 2008, the market witnessed appearance of the device called Osmooze Personal Diffuser, which connected to the USB port of a computer emits a smell when a person opens the email. It is the only such system that has passed the testing phase and became a product that can be bought in the market (E msenhuber 2011).
Also, the telecommunication industry has used scent channel of communication in the creation of the first scenting mobile phones. The scent has started to play the role of a new sensory modality for interactions between human and mobile devices.
In 2008 first “scented” mobile phones appeared on the market. Sony Ericcson SO701 Model has an aroma therapy fragrance to support relaxing during stressful phone calls. The mobile phone also had eight other scents that satisfy different preferences. Other mobile phone models were also introduce by Hyundai, Samsung and Motorola. Currently, various inventors are working on the phone that can send and receive “smell messages” (Emsenhu ber 2011).
3.1 The sense of smell in a Human-Computer Interface education – Examples Currently, some projects are created using the organ of smell in the human-computer interfaces for creating educational applications. An olfactory interface can employ one or more natural or artificially-created odors in a computer interface, with a purpose to its human user. According to Kaye, a computer-generated scent conveys meaningful information to its user(s) if it is semantically and environmentally related to the information to be conveyed (Gar ci a -R ui z et al., 2008).
3.1.1 Example 1
Miguel A. Garcia-Ruiz and his colleagues conducted a study with engineering students to see if mint odor assists memorization and recall information during and after reading an educational Web page. Fresh mint leaves were used for this purpose (Mentha Spicata) because prior research suggested that the scent of peppermint (mint odor) helps storing and particularly supports emotional memory. Participants (26 students with an average age of 21) were divided into two groups of 13 people).
Each student used a personal computer ( a desktop computer with a standard Web browser and Internet connection) and the students were seated next to each other in rows. First, all participants had to solve a pre-test with the following questions:
1. Approximately, how many odors does a normal human nose perceive?
2. What are the cilia within the nose?
3. Write down the name of the seven types of olfactory cells.
4. Write down the names of two diseases of the senses of smell and describe each.
5. Explain what olfactory fatigue is.
Next, the participants used the following site: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfato, which contained the necessary information on the functioning of the human olfactory system. One group received three mint leaves, which they were suppose to rub and smell while reading, and the other group was just to read the Web page.
After the task, each group received a post test with the same questions. In addition, the mint-smelling group received three survey questions with 5-point Likert scales related to the exercise (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) for more feedback on the usability of the mint and the interface:
1. The test about the Web page reading and the mint smelling was fun 2. I would like to use olfactory interfaces in the future
3. I had discomfort when smelling the mint and browsing the Web page The survey showed that students enjoyed and the test and that they would like to use the sense of smell in further training activities. At the same time, the post test showed that the group of students that use the sense of smell performed the task slightly better (Garci a -Ru i z et al., 2008).
3.1.2 Example 2
Miguel A. Garcia-Ruiz team conducted also a study with the computer science students, to find out if mint odor assists listening comprehension in an English language learning exercise when using a VR environment. The aim of this study was also to broaden the knowledge on how to connect the virtual reality and the smell with the language learning process and to assess the benefits of such solutions.
Previous studies by Washburn et al. indicated that the use of the sense of smell combined with virtual reality increases the efficiency in learning and technical trainings without deteriorating the cognitive abilities of the users. The group of students in the study consisted of 12 people. Each student was sitting in front of a laptop with a screen display of 15.4 in computer room with no other students present and use the virtual environment created by a team of researchers, representing a typical Western town, made in DIVE program. Each participant received three mint leaves, which they smelled during the task. Students had to lead their avatar from point A to point B using the arrow keys of the laptop keyboard and according to the following oral instructions in English that included distracters and real-life sounds.
Qualitative and quantitative data was collected using direct observations. After the task the usability questionnaires were administered to each participant. Data analysis indicates that the VR has good usability. All students indicated that the smell of peppermint allowed them, to certain extent, to overcome the fear associated with hearing the command in the English language. Moreover, in these studies, the students expressed their desire to continue using the virtual reality and scents in the further process of learning a foreign language (Garci a -R ui z et al., 2008).
3.1.3 Example 3
Team A. Tijou conducted a research on the effect of olfaction on learning, retention, and recall of complex 3D structures as dry organic molecules using the multi-modal virtual reality applications (T ij ou et al., 2006, Ri char d 2006). The application called “Olfactive Molecules” is intended for undergraduate students in their chemical and biological studies. Students can get familiar with the constitution, 3D chemical structures, and stereochemistry of a few organic molecules using their senses of vision and olfaction. The application uses six exemplary organic compounds that are involved in many biological interactions. (Table 1).
Tabl e 1.
“Olfactive Molecules”: common name (a); associated odor (b) (Tijou et al., 2006)
a b
1 Cinnamaldehyde Cinnamon
2 Vanillin Vanilla
3 Cocaine Cocaine
4 D-Carvone Spearmint
5 R-Limonene Orange
6 S-Limonene Lemon
Source: O wn el abor at i on based on (Ti j ou et al ., 2006 )
The students can experiment with the effect of chirality on the olfactive property of the molecules. Some molecule's names evoke and correspond to a familiar odor such as dry vanillin / vanilla, while others are associated with totally arbitrary scent (cocaine / caramel). The application was developed using C/C ++ program and standard OpenGL graphics library in order to enable easy integration of new interaction techniques and displays. Release and dispersion of scents are provided mechanically by a ventilation system and controlled in real-time by the mouse cursor. Usable scents are available in the market. However, the efficiency of
"Olfactives Molecules" application over standard educational tools will be further investigated (T ij ou et al., 2006).
CONCLUSION
The use of odor in multimodal interfaces can support the e-learning process. Smell as a carrier of information may in the future be used in subsequent new learning applications that require improvements. The smell in the new educational technologies could play an important role in the learning and memorizing process.
Scent communication channel in an environment of human-computer interaction reduces stress, increases memorizing skills, enhances memory performance trough a problem-solving, increases work productivity and efficiency, reduces the number of errors and has a positive effect on the motivation of students. The concurrent use of multiple human sensory channels to interact with a computer interface in the classroom and in a computer room, exploiting the learners' human senses to support learning, remains to be one of most important issues in the educational technology.
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