Eighteen open problems · 16 of 19

Removing a smell instead of covering it

Smell is particles. Every product aimed at a bad one adds a stronger one on top. Subtraction is a different mechanism, and it has analogues: glasses that remove part of a scene rather than tinting it, gum that absorbs rather than flavours. The nearest serious attempt was a wearable air product that did not find its market.

The open question. Can an unwanted signal be subtracted locally rather than masked?

What would kill it

Removing a signal locally, selectively, continuously and unobtrusively is a far higher bar than masking it, and the last company to try had the money, the acoustics team and the supply chain.

Tell me why this is wrong

That is more useful than telling me why it is interesting. Reply to [email protected] or on LinkedIn.