Increasing Participant Quality of Experience in an Olfaction-Enhanced Live Educational Play

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Anderson Augusto Simiscuka, Mohammed Amine Togou, Gabriel-Miro Muntean

Published: 01 Jan 2026, Last Modified: 05 Mar 2026IEEE Transactions on BroadcastingEveryoneRevisionsCC BY-SA 4.0
Abstract: The recent advancements in Extended Reality (XR) have driven interest in multi-sensory experiences across creative and educational sectors. While prior research has explored inclusion of smell in immersive media and live performances, its application in live educational theater remains largely unexplored. This paper introduces MultiScent, a novel multi-sensory solution designed to enhance immersive experiences in theatrical performances via synchronized scent dispensers. By integrating olfactory stimuli with live performances, MultiScent aims to improve audience engagement and increase viewers’ perceived Quality of Experience (QoE). This study evaluates the MultiScent’s effectiveness by assessing the reactions of young audiences to an olfaction-enhanced educational play. To enhance viewers’ QoE, scents are used in sync with the play’s content using the innovative Olfactory Dispenser Synchronization Algorithm (ODSA). This study examines the effectiveness of using ODSA to maintain synchronization between sensory stimuli and play content and impact of scent-based multi-sensory integration on audience immersion and enjoyment. MultiScent utilizes a client-server architecture with multiple wireless-controlled scent dispensers. A MultiScent-based system was deployed in a live theatrical setting, where 70 young viewers attended a play that included synchronized olfactory elements. Post-performance interviews were conducted to assess the audience’s perception of immersion and QoE. The findings indicate that MultiScent significantly enhanced the audience’s enjoyment and engagement, demonstrating the potential of employing synchronized olfactory stimuli in theatrical environments. The results suggest that multi-sensory integration can contribute to a richer, more immersive experience, reinforcing the role of scent in enhancing emotional engagement in educational plays.