The Odor Menu is an innovative solution for accommodating the blind at eat-in restaurants, but it is an equally compelling concept for cartes du jour in general. Along with the name of each meal made by the in-house chef is an accompanying aroma to help represent it more tangibly.
The inventive device of Liu Dongming, Liu Jie and Wen Ho is a palm-sized handheld gadget with a tactile release button and a pair of perforated odor outlets in the bottom. The front surface is an Electric Active Plastic-screen (EAP) that changes shape to spell out different edible options in braille. Left and right arrows guide the patron swiftly through the Odor Menu, allowing him to take a sniff of his selections before confirming his choice.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Odor Menus
- Restaurants are introducing odor menus as an innovative way to accommodate the blind and enhance the dining experience through aroma.
- Electric Active Plastic-screen (EAP)
- The invention of EAP technology presents an opportunity to create new devices for the visually impaired and enhance accessibility.
- Tactile Release Buttons
- The use of tactile release buttons in handheld gadgets can provide a more sensory user experience and improve accessibility for visually impaired individuals.
Where This Applies
- Restaurant Industry
- Restaurants can utilize odor menus to create a more immersive and inclusive dining experience, especially for visually impaired patrons.
- Assistive Technology Industry
- EAP technology can transform the development of assistive devices aimed at improving accessibility for the visually impaired.
- Consumer Electronics Industry
- The use of tactile release buttons in handheld gadgets presents an opportunity to enhance the user experience in consumer electronics and create more accessible technology.
