WHY
Maintaining inner peace in today’s overstimulated environments is a challenge. Our environment strongly influences emotional balance.
How might we use environment control as an active lever for mental optimisation.
82%
understand the importance of having routine with rituals
64%
have used smell to alter their perception
100%
have used music to focus at times
WHAT
Olfa is a technology that leverages aromatherapy’s powerful effects on the mind with intuitive controls through thoughtful UX.
Peppermint
+25% alertness
University of Cincinnati
Vanilla
–65% anxiety
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Lemon oil
+54% performance
Initial UK (for data entry)
HOW
If the new piece of technology I’m tasked to create is able to interact in a way with the user to stimulate and increase their ability to calm down or to motivate their productivity it could change millions of lives.
Can we increase control over the way we experience emotions in our environment and if so what would that look like?
A new companion in your home
These insights framed scent not as a luxury, but as a scientifically backed tool for productivity and peace of mind.
Many home workers and students experience daily stress and anxiety. Aromatherapy is an underutilized tool that could help, especially given the popularity of sensory-based relaxation techniques like listening to music. Targeted use of a smart home connected smell diffuser, addressing morning stress, boosting afternoon productivity, and enhancing evening relaxation could significantly improve their well-being.
Interface
Olfa positioned scent as a new medium for wellbeing, a bridge between environmental design and emotional health. The project demonstrated how integrating science, technology, and everyday routines can expand what “wellbeing tech” means beyond screens.
IMPROVEMENTS
Treat this as if it was an app update, release 2.0.1, make a slight joke about perfectionism and making it clear that I’m working on it and this is an attempt at timeboxing that itch.
