Smells Like Sex: Has Virtual Reality Crossed the Next Multi-sensory Frontier?

By M. Christian

January 27, 2017

2197

CamSoda is working on adding erotic aromas to VR porn.

With haptic-touch technology, binaural sound, and high-resolution video already commonplace, it was just a matter of time before a developer jumped on adding the next great sensory element to virtual reality.

And it smells. Hopefully in a good—and arousing—way.

CamSoda, a cam company we’ve reported on before releasing $1 virtual blow jobs and live streaming holographic cam shows, has announced the release of OhRoma: a system allowing VR users to experience over 30 different erotic smells while watching VR porn.

Using two canisters, each containing three slots for unique fragrances that are attached to what looks like an old-style gas mask, OhRoma could very well be a new level of sensory immersion for virtual reality users.

So far, CamSoda has only released information on six categories of aromas, including environments, aphrodisiacs, fragrances, body odor, panties and, naturally, private parts.

The system uses heat to release the scents, controlled via a yet-to-be-released app. CamSoda even promises that it will be possible to trigger smells remotely between two users, meaning that playmates can use the app to send their partners a dose of, let’s say, the smell of chocolate and sweat. Yum!

There’s no information on if it may be possible in the future to customize aromas, to send your lover your own particular scent for example. But it’s not hard to envision that eventually being an option.

It would be easy to look at the OhRoma as a bit of “you can’t be serious” tech, but you have to give CamSoda major points for attempting to include the sexual powerhouse that lies in smell to the other senses already being embraced by virtual reality developers.

Image source: CamSoda

M. Christian

M.Christian (they/them) loves nothing better than exploring the intersections of sex and technology—and speculating on the future of both. A highly regarded erotica writer they have six novels,12 collections, 100+ short stories, and 25 anthologies as an editor to their name. Their non-fiction regularly appears in many sites, but they're most proud of being a regular contributor to Future of Sex.

Of their erotic fiction, Tristan Taormino said that “M.Christian is a literary stylist of the highest caliber: smart, funny, frightening, sexy—there's nothing [they] can't write about… and brilliantly.”

Reflecting their unique ability to sympathetically and convincingly write for a range of genders and sexual orientations, their stories have appeared in multiple editions of Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, The Mammoth Books of Erotica, and others. Their collection of gay erotic fiction, Dirty Words, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award.

While a majority of their stories have been collected into books like Dirty Words, their fondness for combining sex and science fiction is clearly evident in collections that include Rude Mechanicals, Technorotica, Better Than The Real Thing, Skin Effect Effect, Bachelor Machine, and Hard Drive: The Best Sci-Fi Erotica of M.Christian.

As a novelist, M.Christian’s versatility is on full display with Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Brushes, Painted Doll; and the somewhat controversial queer BDSM/horror/thrillers Finger's Breadth, and Me2.

M.Christian has worked on the industry’s production side as an Associate Publisher for Renaissance E Books and as a Publisher for Digital Parchment Services. The latter dedicated to celebrating the works of science-fiction legends such as William Rotsler, Jerome Bixby, Jody Scott, Arthur Byron Cover, Ernest Hogan, and James Van Hise.

Covering topics like BDSM safety, sexual education, senior sexuality concerns, queer and gender issues, plus reviewing a variety of sex tech products, M.Christian’s non-fiction has appeared on sites like Kinkly, Tickle.Life, Sexpert, Queer Majority, Sex for Every Body, and—of course—their ongoing work for Future of Sex.

If there’s anything M.Christian enjoys more than writing, it’s teaching. A featured presenter, sometimes with their friend Ralph Greco Jr, at national sex and BDSM events, they have lectured on kink play (with an emphasis on safety), polyamory, boosting sexual creativity, and erotica writing--for beginners or those wanting to go pro.

M.Christian is a cohost on two popular sex-education podcasts: Love’s Outer Limits with Dr. Amy Marsh and Licking Non-Vanilla with Ralph Greco, Jr.