Choosing a signature fragrance just got more personal.
iRomaScents' new artificial intelligence technology aims to improve the experience of choosing perfume or cologne in department stores.
Avner Gal and Erin Berry, co-founders of Israel-based iRomaScents, showed off the capabilities of their digital scent generator in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Inside the circular device are 45 refillable cartridges, each containing a different scent.
On the front end, an “AI Wizard” application asks the user a number of questions, including gender, age, type of perfume, scent strength, wearing time, budget, etc.
The wizard also asks the user what type of scent they prefer (e.g. fruity or floral) and how they want to feel when wearing the perfume (e.g. sexy, chic, fresh).
The technology then selects one scent based on the user's response, along with three alternative recommendations.
If a user wants to try the selected scent, they tap the screen and the iRomaScents device sprays a sample onto a test strip or directly onto the user's wrist.
The app can connect to three iRomaScents devices at once, giving you access to up to 135 scents.
“It's a very short process and you have the ability to decide… [interacting] “Shop with the vendors,” Gal says, “and you'll leave with at least one item.”
“Buying perfume is a very private thing. You don't want anyone to disturb you,” he added.
Gall noted that in addition to helping consumers choose from a vast selection of fragrances, iRomaScents also helps streamline the shopping process and reduces the need for employees to manually provide samples.
The iRomaScents AI tool can also be used for online shopping, guiding shoppers through the matching process and directing them to stores where they can get the recommended fragrances.
Matching each person's scent preferences will help build the tool's database through machine learning, Gall said.
The iRomaScents generators are currently being used in Maison KOSÉ stores in Tokyo, but the company plans to introduce them to its U.S. stores in the future.
The co-founders said people have been “amazed” by the device.
At the trade show, nearly 100 percent of visitors who tried the device said they planned to buy the scent it recommended, Berry said.
Alternative Applications
Beyond commercial retail, the co-founders said the iRomaScents device could eventually be used in other scenarios as well.
One potential application is using scents in educational settings such as classrooms and museums to incorporate scent into teaching.
Gall said other future possibilities include installing the device in movie theaters to provide an immersive movie experience.
It may also help people with anosmia (loss of smell) identify odors.
