SensoryCo

Military and law enforcement simulations need to recreate environments—from villages to cockpits—with absolute realism. But realism isn’t just visual; high-pressure moments rely on sensory cues that trigger instinctive reactions. Smell reaches the human brain faster than sight or sound and often serves as the first red flag. In training environments, controlled scent cues hard-wire early detection skills that translate directly to real-world readiness.

SensoryCo is at the forefront of driving realistic training outcomes by delivering controlled, precisely timed aroma signals into live exercises, labs and virtual or augmented setups. Its scent-generators introduce emergency-related scents at the precise moment instructors need them, prompting the specific response trainees are being trained to perform.

SensoryCo evolved from Koolfog, a theme-park engineering group with 35 years of experience in sensory effects. That legacy now serves both themed entertainment and mission-critical training.

“Our technologies use scent to deepen engagement and trigger memory, strengthening military training through realistic simulations and live scenario exercises,” says Bryan Roe, president.

An Air Force emergency response program demonstrates the impact. The team needed a way to simulate the earliest warning of a helicopter in-cockpit emergency, when a pilot detects burning electrical components. SensoryCo integrated its system into the simulator, enabling instructors to trigger a precise electrical fire scent that prompts immediate recognition and instinctive response.

Controlled Scent Delivery for High-Precision Training

In military and emergency simulations, scent delivery must adapt to the scenario. Some exercises require a close-range signal triggered the moment a container opens. Others call for controlled diffusion across enclosed rooms or simulator spaces. Multi-zone environments layer scent only as trainees enter specific areas. In every case, precision control sets the standard.

The scent generators are designed for use in close-range, mid-range and large training spaces. SMX-M delivers pinpoint cues, SMX2 supports small to mid-sized rooms such as classrooms, caves and containers, and SMXT1 is engineered for broad-area coverage. Each uses a dry-delivery method to pull scent into the airstream or atomizing at sub-micron particles instead of spraying liquid, which avoids fallout that can damage electronics or settle into props.

Instructors have multiple control options. Units can release scent through relay closures linked to simulator content, through DMX in effects-driven environments or through manual settings when needed. Trigger timing and run duration determine when the scent appears, its strength and how long it takes to clear.

A recent cabin-crew fire-trainer project highlights the system’s precision. The training team needed attendants to detect hidden trouble where the first warning is a faint burning smell. SensoryCo scent generators were placed throughout the mock cabin and integrated into the simulator’s control system. Instructors could trigger an electrical-burn scent from an iPad, allowing crews to practice identifying overhead bin and wiring issues before they become visible, sharpening early recognition and response.

Precision Scent for Tactical Readiness

Aroma adds value only when people recognize it in the same way. Perception differs widely, so reaching agreement on what a scent should smell like is often harder than expected. Every aroma is simulated rather than created from real materials, blending engineered components to achieve the closest approximation possible to real-world exposure.

Creating the smell of gunpowder is especially complex because its perception shifts with the type of weapon, ammunition and the way each person interprets the aroma. Chemical, environmental and medical scents also require deeper engineering to remain safe and believable.

SensoryCo creates a version that captures the most common exposure without misleading indicators. Focus-group testing guides this work. Professionals with field experience review each profile and help the team refine it until the blend feels authentic.

In advanced simulation, SensoryCo delivers the smallest sensory detail that can shape the biggest tactical advantage.