Northumbria University

PRojects 2024

Nos: Creating a Scentopia

Finalist Project

Yunjung Lee, Qaanita R Razeek, Ilma Abdul Cader, Tereza Plasilova

Nos: Creating a Scentopia is a project exploring the potential of enhancing empathy, awareness, and compassion through augmented olfaction. This speculative device leverages advancements in neuroscience, biosensors, and artificial intelligence to decode emotional states from human body odor. By analyzing the molecular fingerprints of emotions, Nos translates these signals into a visual experience, promoting empathy and self-awareness through synesthetic color perception.

Dr Donna Leishman is an Associate Professor in Communication Design at Northumbria University. Prior to this she was Head of Communication Design at The Glasgow School of Art and at Dundee University. She is a digital media practitioner and interdisciplinary researcher. In her career she has explored the intersections of games, digital literature and more recently, participatory and critical design.