Enhancing the Eating Experience of Anosmic Patients through AR Games

Abstract

Olfaction is one of the essential ways humans perceive the world, influencing not only our gustatory experiences but also playing a crucial role in emotional and memory formation. Anosmia, or the loss of the sense of smell, can lead to a diminished awareness of one’s surroundings, significantly increasing the risks in daily life. Unlike traditional olfactory training methods, this paper explores the use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology to provide a more immersive and personalized experience by visualizing odor molecules through a designed AR-based virtual game. The study aims to investigate effective approaches for enhancing the eating experience of patients with anosmia using AR technology. This multi-sensory approach intends to rebuild patients’ cognition of smells and rekindle their interest in food, thereby alleviating psychological stress. The experimental results are obtained using a quantitative method to test various metrics during the sensory compensation process through AR games, with data being recorded and analyzed.