The world of technology is built on the shoulders of pioneers—those who dream of what could be and push the limits of what’s possible. In the late 1990s, one such pioneering force was Digiscents, a company founded by Joel Bellenson and Dexter Smith, who dared to ask: What if we could digitize smell?
Fast forward to today, and Ajinomatrix is carrying that very torch forward, taking scent and taste digitization to new heights. In a recent BBC SquareSpace interview, Joel revisited the wild ride of Digiscents, from its ambitious iSmell device to its untimely demise—right before a major funding round collapsed due to 9/11. The vision, however, never faded, and today, it is being reborn in Ajinomatrix’s work on AI-driven sensory digitization.
From Smell-O-Vision to Sensory AI: The Story Continues
Joel’s interview takes us back to an era when smell was the final frontier in digital interaction. The 90s saw multiple attempts to bring olfaction into entertainment, from Smell-O-Vision and Scratch and Sniff movies to Digiscents' revolutionary attempt at digitizing scents for gaming, e-commerce, and online experiences.
Despite partnerships with Microsoft, Sony, and Procter & Gamble, Digiscents ultimately collapsed due to funding constraints, but the dream of digitizing sensory perception lived on.
That’s where Ajinomatrix comes in.
Ajinomatrix: The Next Chapter in Sensory Innovation
What Digiscents started with iSmell, Ajinomatrix is now refining with AI-driven sensory technology, integrating taste and smell digitization into food and beverage applications. Where Digiscents sought to bring smell to gaming and e-commerce, Ajinomatrix is using AI to revolutionize product reformulation, multisensory experiences, and even nutritional adaptation.
Here’s why this matters:
✔ TasteTuner and SensoryOS – Ajinomatrix’s AI-powered sensory prediction tools are bridging the gap between human perception and AI-driven product design, allowing companies to fine-tune flavors and aromas based on real-time data.
✔ AI-Sensed Environments – As Apple steps into AI-powered food and scent recognition, Ajinomatrix is already one step ahead with our TasteTuner Box Chart, a framework for digitizing sensory experiences across platforms.
✔ The Future of Olfactory AI – As interest in immersive AI experiences continues to grow, Ajinomatrix is poised to lead the charge, bringing scientific precision to flavor and aroma design across industries.
Watch the Interview: The Legacy of Digiscents
To truly appreciate the vision that started it all and how Ajinomatrix is carrying it forward, watch Joel Bellenson’s full interview here:
The era of digital smell didn’t end with Digiscents. It’s only beginning—and Ajinomatrix is making it a reality.
Stay tuned. The revolution is happening #NOW.
Comments