This device is developed by Seems, Inc., a Japanese venture.

• Seems, Inc
  http://www.seems-inc.com/en/index.html

The CEO, Naoki Urushibata, began this scent business because of his older sister’s unfortunate death of cancer.

He realized that his sister’s body odor started changing as her disease progressed.

So he started his company, Seems, Inc., hoping that the technology could discover the cancer in the early stage by diagnosing the “cancer smell” of a patient.

Now, Seems, Inc. developed the new technology, a Wasabi Fire alarm.

The device blast out the strong smell of Wasabi to waken the deaf people in case of fire.

TV Tokyo’s “Gaiya no yoake” (Sunrise of Gaia) broadcasted the interview of a deaf person who was refused to book a hotel. The hotel was afraid of failing to notify the deaf quickly in case of fire.

According to the one test, the deaf person was able to wake up within 20 seconds after the wasabi scent blasting out from the device.

Seems, Inc. is hoping to sell this devices to hotels, other commercial building and eventually to houses.

• Wasabi Silent Fire Alarm Alerts the Deaf with the Power of Scent – InvestorSpot
  http://inventorspot.com/articles/wasabi_silent_fire_alarm_alerts__11514
  The video from BBC coverage is available from the link above