When Google Home was unveiled, many people immediately noted[1] the smart speaker’s striking resemblance to a home fragrance diffuser. Now there’s a smart home fragrance diffuser that looks like a smart speaker. Pium[2], a self-described “next-generation smart diffuser,” is currently participating in Samsung Electronic’s Creative Square incubator program. Visitors to IFA 2017 can demo it at Samsung’s booth. Pium also recently ran a a successful Kickstarter campaign[3].
While other diffusers that can be controlled with a mobile app already exist, Pium’s creators say they see their product as a gateway to a new user interface experience. In fact, the startup is already exploring ways to use its technology in virtual reality platforms, too.
Pium comes in two styles (the Brooklyn, which looks very much like a smart speaker, and the more diffuser-ish Chelsea) and can be voice-operated with actual smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo. It is also compatible with Philips Hue smart lightbulbs and Sonos speakers.
Pium’s Chelsea diffuser
The company was founded by Ryan Kihm, Jay Hwang and Wes Yoon. Before launching Pium, Kihm and Hwang worked on the invention team of a Seoul-based accelerator, helping early-stage startups develop their IP portfolios. While doing research, the two determined that olfaction, or the sense of smell, is set to become the subject of “the next big UX technology,” Kihm told TechCrunch in an email.
“The U.S. home fragrance market is about $6 billion, but still customers just rely on their personal preferences and advertisements to pick a product. Many options are on the market, but people still don’t know how to choose one,” he said.
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