Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

44.4K
The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
44.4K
Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

321
Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex.
321
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

8.7K
Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
8.7K
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

5.9K
Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive...
5.9K
Taste Buds and Receptors01:20

Taste Buds and Receptors

2.2K
Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
2.2K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

9.3K
The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
9.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Creating common virtual ground: Protocols to democratize open VR research.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Social Perceptions of Weight Loss With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonists in Black and White Women With Obesity.

Stigma and health·2026
Same author

Randomized-controlled trial of skills-based vr vs. distraction vr vs. sham VR for chronic low back pain.

NPJ digital medicine·2026
Same author

Examining the Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Fast-Food Marketing on Eating-Related Outcomes in Young Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

JMIR research protocols·2025
Same author

Development and validation of the Parental Food Choice Guilt Scale.

European journal of psychological assessment : official organ of the European Association of Psychological Assessment·2025
Same author

AMXRA Guidelines on Extended Reality (XR) and Children: Considerations for Safe and Effective Application Development and Use.

Journal of medical extended reality·2025
Same journal

Optimizing Performance and Satisfaction in Matching and Movement Tasks in Virtual Reality with Interventions Using the Data Visualization Literacy Framework.

Frontiers in virtual reality·2026
Same journal

Teleportation in Virtual Reality; A Mini-Review.

Frontiers in virtual reality·2025
Same journal

Mental health providers are inexperienced but interested in telehealth-based virtual reality therapy: survey study.

Frontiers in virtual reality·2024
Same journal

Exploring the Effect of a Nature-based Virtual Reality Environment on Stress in Adolescents.

Frontiers in virtual reality·2024
Same journal

Exploring the Spatial Relationships Between Real and Virtual Experiences: What Transfers and What Doesn't.

Frontiers in virtual reality·2023
Same journal

The Symbiosis of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy and Telemental Health: A Review.

Frontiers in virtual reality·2023
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 18, 2025

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

7.1K

Olfactory Perception and Presence in a Virtual Reality Food Environment.

Susan Persky1, Alexander P Dolwick1

  • 1Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Frontiers in Virtual Reality
|August 28, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Scent in virtual reality (VR) enhances user experience, but perception varies. Identifying smells in VR boosts presence and food choices, indicating potential for olfactory stimuli in immersive applications.

Keywords:
food behaviorolfactionpresencesensory inputvirtual reality

More Related Videos

Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures
07:09

Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures

Published on: August 29, 2018

12.8K
Enhancement Method of Surface Acoustic Wave-Atomizer Efficiency for Olfactory Display
08:06

Enhancement Method of Surface Acoustic Wave-Atomizer Efficiency for Olfactory Display

Published on: November 14, 2018

8.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 18, 2025

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

7.1K
Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures
07:09

Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures

Published on: August 29, 2018

12.8K
Enhancement Method of Surface Acoustic Wave-Atomizer Efficiency for Olfactory Display
08:06

Enhancement Method of Surface Acoustic Wave-Atomizer Efficiency for Olfactory Display

Published on: November 14, 2018

8.1K

Area of Science:

  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Sensory Perception
  • Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

  • Virtual reality (VR) effectiveness relies on user immersion and presence.
  • Olfactory stimuli integration into VR environments is underexplored for enhancing realism.
  • Understanding scent perception is crucial for optimizing VR user experience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of olfactory stimuli on user experience in a VR buffet restaurant.
  • To determine the relationship between scent perception, presence, and user choices within VR.
  • To explore factors influencing olfactory perception in virtual environments.

Main Methods:

  • Participants interacted within a VR buffet restaurant environment.
  • French fry scented oil was administered during the VR experience.
  • Post-experience surveys assessed scent perception, identification accuracy, presence, and food choices.

Main Results:

  • Only 18% of participants perceived the olfactory stimulus (french fry scent).
  • Of those who perceived the scent, 78% correctly identified it.
  • Perceiving the scent correlated with higher VR presence; correct identification correlated with heightened presence and increased french fry selection.

Conclusions:

  • Scent perception in VR is highly variable and influences user experience.
  • Correct olfactory identification in VR can enhance presence and guide user behavior.
  • Further research is needed to understand moderators of olfactory perception in virtual reality.