Scientists at Japan’s Shiga University of Medical Science have been testing prototypes of a new type of silent smoke alarm for deaf people. The alarm, co-created by Seems, a perfuming company, uses the overpowering, pungent scent of wasabi, or Japanese horseradish. Previously available smoke alarms for deaf people have used strobe lights. Recent tests results for the wasabi alarms have been positive — 13 out of 14 people tested woke within two minutes of the scent release, while the actual deaf person in the test awoke within 10 seconds.
Read more at Reuters and InventorSpot
