Imersa is a worldwide network of professionals with a mission to advance the art and technology that creates immersive experiences for dome theaters and spherical venues. This past July, SensoryCo team members were privileged to attend Imersa Day during the FullDome Festival in Jena, Germany, to interact with pioneers in immersive media, spatial audio, atmospherics, and related genres and enjoyed discussions that centered around the integration of scent technology into future dome projects.
Imersa is an emerging concept or entity, often associated with immersive experiences, blending technology, art, and storytelling to engage audiences in transformative ways. The name “Imersa” evokes ideas of total immersion, whether in virtual reality, interactive environments, or multisensory installations. Projects or platforms branded under “Imersa” typically focus on creating environments that blur the lines between the physical and digital worlds, allowing users to lose themselves in experiences that stimulate their senses and emotions. Whether in entertainment, education, or art, Imersa invites participants to explore and interact with spaces offering deeper engagement levels.
defaultJena, Germany home of the Zeiss-Planetarium which is the oldest continuously operating planetarium in the world.
Scent Technology in Dome Environments
Scent technology enhances immersive experiences by adding a powerful olfactory dimension, which deepens emotional and sensory engagement. Smell is closely linked to memory and emotion, making it a key factor in creating a fully immersive environment. When scent is integrated into virtual reality (VR), installations, or entertainment spaces, it allows participants to not only see and hear but also smell the surroundings, heightening the realism of the experience.
Smell can bring depth to a scene. In cinematic or theatrical settings, specific smells can align with the narrative to evoke emotions or signal transitions in the storyline. This multisensory input stimulates a more profound connection, making the environment feel authentic and memorable. Scent technology bridges the gap between the digital and physical worlds, adding a layer of depth to storytelling and interactive design.
This past Imersa Day was held at the Zeiss Planertarium in Jena, Germany, hosted in affiliation with the International Planetarium Society conference and the Fulldome festival. Planetariums are shaped as domes and have many uses including research, stargazing, scientific experimentation, education, and entertainment. During Imersa Day/ Fulldome festival, our SensoryCo team witnessed the power of cinema presented in a dome environment. The production of these films (as well as an interactive game that we could play against one another from our seats under the dome) are incredibly technical, precise, and detailed. The experience places the viewer within the depths of the story being told.
Due to logistics, and curiosity, our conversation led to a discussion about how smell might be perceived in space.
What does the moon, for example, smell like?
The moon itself doesn’t have a smell in the traditional sense, as it lacks an atmosphere to carry scents. And, of course, our astronauts can’t take their space suits and helmets off to sniff. However, astronauts who walked on the lunar surface during the Apollo missions reported a distinctive smell when they returned to their spacecraft. After moon dust, or regolith, clung to their suits and equipment, they described the odor as resembling gunpowder or burnt metal. Some have surmised that it smells like a steely BBQ.
Scientists believe this scent comes from the moon’s surface dust reacting with oxygen in the spacecraft. Since moon dust is composed of tiny, jagged particles of rock and minerals that have been exposed to intense solar radiation, it is chemically reactive when exposed to air. The smell astronauts encounter is unique, almost like burnt material, but not something we experience on Earth regularly.
The potential to impact immersive creators with scent technology is very real. Adding a dynamic layer of sensory smells to a project can bring audience engagement to new levels.
The future of smell is here, and SensoryCo is ready to deliver.