Embark with us on a journey through the fascinating world of HSRW’s labs! Together with our LabLandscapes team, our “Laborfunk” give you fresh insights into the diverse labs and the researchers working in them.
Always following his nose: Student Sarthak Chadha´s journey through the HSRW labs
Our first “Laborfunk” is all about smelling and scents. Meet Sarthak Chadha, student of Communication and Engineering B.Sc. at HSRW. With his start-up idea “Synaesthesia” he is on an inspiring journey through various laboratories on the Kamp-Lintfort campus, which may culminate in the founding of a company. Sarthak has, over the past years, developed a passion for the sense of smell that led him to produce fragrant plant extracts as well as develop an olfactory display that makes smells accessible in digital contexts and in human-computer interaction (HCI).
It all began when being introduced to virtual reality, digital sensory experiences and the interaction of humans with computers in the metaverse. An Elective course and interdisciplinary project with Prof. Dr. Kai Essig and Pedro Ribeiro (Center for Assistance and Participation) sparked his curiosity about sensory experiences in human-computer interaction (HCI). He then made a foray into Ethnobotany and specialised laboratories around his home country of India to explore the broad field of aromatherapy. Back in Kamp-Lintfort he began extracting his own essences and started developing his innovative olfactory display, benefiting from the easy access for students working on projects to the well-equipped laboratories of the faculty for Communication and Environment. He joined the Usability Lab under the direction of Prof. Dr. Kai Essig. Here, he was not only able to develop his ideas further by exchanging ideas with the lab staff, but was also given the space to unfold as well as resources and financial support for the development of his project.
Three tasks – three labs
Plant extracts, algorithm and olfactory display required different equipment and action. To ensure constant and high quality of his plant extracts, Sarthak Chadha utilised the advanced equipment and the clean-room conditions provided by the Environment and Energy labs. Here he had the opportunity to produce his extracts with an ultrasonic homogeniser that breaks the powdered plant, diluted in a solvent, apart at molecular level. The Environment and Energy labs chemistry lab area moreover allowed him to conduct chromatographic analysis.
The Usability Lab provided Sarthak Chadha with the tools to study how people react to smells in digital environments. Using biometric sensors, he measured physiological responses to different scents and assessed how digital smell technology affects immersive experiences. This information was needed to programme the patent-worthy algorithm of his olfactory display.
His design of the physical display was inspired by capsule coffee machines. In the FabLab Sarthak Chadha 3d printed various prototypes of a holder equipped with five chambers for one olfactory capsule each.
One of the next steps: Setting up his own company. He already met with the experts from StartGlocal at HSRW and is keen to apply for an EXIST Business-Start-up grant.