The sense of smell and naturally occurring odors in the environment are part of a chemical framework that encompasses the natural world and plays a role in every facet of human life. The chemically mediated senses of smell and taste allow us to obtain meaningful and objective information about the world. These chemical interactions play a primary role in structuring our thoughts, memories, and broader consciousness. We sense the external world through internal neuronal representations in the brain. Because of olfaction’s unique attributes, many commercial entities are now attempting to integrate odor cues into artificial communication and entertainment environments such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (VR/AR). The addition of scent is having a substantial impact on the magnitude of immersion that is experienced in AR/VR; however, little is known about the collective emotional and psychological impact of odor stimuli as more and more people come in contact with virtual systems, nor has the safe, ethical, and sustainable use of these aromatic compounds been established. The aim of this paper is to suggest a strategy for identifying the most promising and safe raw materials to integrate olfactory information into AR/VR and other technology and communication systems. To address this, I draw on my ethnographic research to create and scientifically contextualize a chemical art object, World Sensorium, consisting of a world scent composed of culturally associative aromatic compounds derived from select plant species from around the world, to provide insight into how the evolution and qualitative character of the human olfactory experience that has shaped the global cultural sensorium. Through World Sensorium, olfaction is explored as a medium of memory, communication, and emotion, to create an artwork that has positive meaning for a vast number of people across the globe. Each chemical constituent in this world scent is associated with unique neural imprints that are central to the transmission of cultural and aesthetic values. Furthermore, and of critical significance, the paper suggests that aromatic chemicals introduced into VR/AR scent environments ought to be cautiously evaluated for their impact on their users as well as on broader human health and the environment. Keywords— World Sensorium, world scent, olfaction, smell, aroma, odor, essential oils, culture, aromatic chemicals, chemical composition, fragrance chemicals, virtual reality, augmented reality, virtual systems, consciousness, immersive environments
