RMIT University used a virtual International Space Station at its Melbourne Virtual Experiences Laboratory to investigate how surroundings affect food-aroma perception. In research published in July 2024, 54 adults smelled vanilla, almond and lemon samples in a neutral room and the simulated spacecraft. Vanilla and almond received higher intensity ratings in VR; lemon showed no statistically significant difference.
RMIT computing students created the simulation in Unity. Participants used an HTC Vive headset and controllers to explore the station, interact with objects and submit ratings inside the virtual environment. Researchers presented real aroma samples in small containers: the smells were physical stimuli, rather than digitally generated scents. Station equipment, floating objects and operational sounds established the space setting.
The study was led by RMIT researchers including Julia Low and Lisa Newman, with Grace Loke as first author and researchers from International Flavors and Fragrances involved. Its aim was to support research into food experiences in confined environments; it did not demonstrate improved astronaut nutrition.
The programme continued with a separate 44-person study reported in November 2024 and recruitment for further VR and motion-simulator work in 2025. A later preprint posted in July 2026 studied 211 participants across home, space and conventional settings. Those samples and findings should be considered separately from the original 54-person experiment.
