Voice-Activated Robot Air Freshener Spreads Scents via Bubble

If you're cooped up inside an air-conditioned home this summer or your household air just feels stale, you're probably breaking out bottles of Febreze, burning scented candles or using those plug-in air fresheners. But for those who truly want home automation, Japanese engineers have developed a voice-activated air freshener.

This creative prototype device — called "FragWrap" — was designed by engineers at Keio University in Fujisawa, Japan, New Scientist reported. As explained in the video above, you tell the robot what fragrance you'd like, it listens to you and processes that scent, blowing it across a room in the form of a soap bubble. Once the bubble bursts, smaller fans reportedly spread that aroma out in different directions. Read more...