Scent on Mobile Phones: isi and conVISUAL Filed Patent for Mobile Scent Applications in Germany
Göttingen/Oberhausen, Germany – 29 April 2008
“Warm greetings from my holidays... can you smell the ocean breeze?” In the near future, you will have the ability to send an MMS message along with a whiff of a fresh ocean breeze --- all made possible by isi and conVISUAL. The German syndicate, consisting of isi, institute of sensory analysis and marketing consultancy in Göttingen, and conVISUAL, Oberhausen-based specialist for interactive value added services, has filed the patent for applications allowing users to send scents onto properly equipped cell phones.
isi is an internationally known market research company that has conducted research on the impact of scent in the marketing arena for over 20 years. conVISUAL is a leading international full service provider for mobile and voice based value added services and a proven specialist in interactive media like SMS and MMS. The scent chip is being developed by a renowned microtechnology company.
The principle is simple and requires no additional hardware. All you will need is a mobile scent phone and an SD smart card sized chip, which provides a wide variety of scents. The scent chip can be accessed through various applications: via SMS and MMS, from a connected computer or special mobile scent programs on the cell phone. Users are allowed to accept or reject an incoming scent message in order to avoid spam.
There are many applications for this service, ranging from sweet smelling MMS greetings, to branded advertising samples for perfume manufacturers, to scent enhanced games for mobile phones and computers providing an additional sensory element for an outstanding gaming experience.
The patent opens the door for mobile handset manufacturers and network operators whose strategy includes providing mobile scent applications. Current developments in Asia show that scent technology has become increasingly attractive for other markets as well, as evidenced by Japanese company NTT Communications’ external scent atomizer for mobile phones.
About isi
isi, institute of sensory analysis and marketing consultancy (Institut für Sensorikforschung und Innovationsberatung GmbH), founded in 1995, is an internationally operating market research company focusing on product innovation, sensory product analysis, scent marketing and marketing consultancy. Its clientele includes renowned manufacturers of branded products and service companies.
About conVISUAL
conVISUAL is a leading international Full Service Provider for mobile and voice services. Founded in October 2000, conVISUAL offers interactive SMS, MMS, Voice and Video Services as well as Mobile Content and Gateway Services to mobile and media companies. With offices in the US, Europe, and Asia, conVISUAL has established customer contacts reaching more than 300 million end users in more than 30 countries on all five continents. Its clientele include the biggest network operators, TV broadcasters, media companies, agencies and brands. Among others conVISUAL provides mobile interactive TV services for ESPN International, NBC/Universal and MTV Networks.
Media Contact isi
Dr. Patrick Hehn
Phone: +49 (551) 49 97 4 – 160
E-mail: patrick.hehn@isi-goettingen.de
www.isi-goettingen.de
isi GmbH
Ascherberg 2
37124 Göttingen-Rosdorf, Germany
Media Contact conVISUAL
Sandra Wiewiorra, PR Manager
Phone: +49 (208) 97 69 5 – 807
E-mail: sandra.wiewiorra@convisual.com
www.convisual.de
conVISUAL AG
Essener Strasse 99
46047 Oberhausen, Germany
conVISUAL US Office
3333 Warrenville Road, Suite 200
Lisle, IL 60532, USA