Sniff is an experimental "data olfaction" project, exploring ways to make our online activity tangible by mapping aromas to data. The project is still in development but I was able to show a preliminary version in January 2024.
Showing at the Weise7 studio in Berlin, I set up a kiosk that allowed visitors to connect to a WiFi network via my Raspberry Pi. once connected, visitors were presented with a sample of device traffic, which was then converted to a perfume formula, which I used to create a bespoke fragrance for each visitor.
Sniff was made for Radical Networks 2024 as part IMA Low Res. Under the guidance of Sarah Grant, my classmates and I developed projects that investigated our use of, reliance on, and relationships with the internet.
A version of Sniff with completely random data and formulae can be found on Github.
The project draws on ideas from the Critical Engineering Manifesto. By giving form to the data our devices are constantly sending and receiving, we can become more aware of how "the cloud" works.
My research involved exploring the TC/ICP model for the internet and Jean Carles' olfactory pyramid.
