An ambitious start-up that had planned to bring the sense of smell to computing has shut down... after backers tired of smelling burning cash.
DigiScents, a developer of technology that would have equipped computers to create odours on command was unable to secure new funding from earlier investors, including Pacific Century CyberWorks, the company said.
Oakland, California-based DigiScents, which had been developing a hardware and software platform for producing digital smells, shut down, a quiet end for a company launched amid fanfare in 1999.
Funded with some $20 million - odour-producing interactive media was to create a more lifelike experience for users.
DigiScents had deals with 5,000 Web site, software and video game developers to eventually use the iSmell platform, which was nearing the manufacturing stage when investors cut off funding, the company said.
"None of our investors could provide capital," a DigiScents spokesman said.
DigiScents chief executive Mr Joel Bellenson said the tight funding climate made pitching the unconventional start-up to investors a hard sell.