Ninu might be the world's first 'smart perfume' device

It seems as though almost every product is getting a "smart" upgrade lately, whether it could use one or not (most do not). Knowing this, the idea of a "smart" perfume/cologne might seem particularly unnecessary even for the tech world, and yet... why are we so intrigued by the Ninu?

Promising a "breakthrough in perfumery" (their words, not ours), Ninu is a rechargeable cologne device that can store up to three separate fragrances within its sleek, Italian-designed canister. The product links to its own standalone app, allowing users to select from pre-loaded ratios depending on moods like "Move," "Fresh," and "Sexy." Or, if you're feeling creative, you can concoct original mixes like some kind of nightclub DJ-turned-chemist.

Promises to use quality materials — One could be forgiven for thinking the fragrances and materials used in something like this could be of dubious origin or quality, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Ninu promises to only use "100% vegan, sustainably-sourced ingredients" that are free from phthalates, parabens, and sulphates. Its packaging will only use natural ink, and the inner perfume cartridges will be made from recyclable glass. "We have been developing this technology for 3 years now. It was very challenging because of super tiny components and we had to engage the best engineers around. But we did tremendous work, found innovative ways to solve all these problems, and filed a patent last year," company CEO, Marko Matijevic, wrote to us in an email. Check out some images of the device below.

Siri, meet Pierre — Ninu's app assistant, "Pierre," will apparently be able to suggest various fragrance combinations, store recipes, and even alert users when their scent reserves are low. As of right now, there is only one planned "family" of fragrances for men and one for women (way to gender things, Ninu). "Types and notes are still being picked by the finest French perfumers. The fusion of three different notes in all various combinations is hard to achieve," wrote Matijevic. "We are almost at the end, just need some fine-tuning. The user will manipulate and play with scents thru the app on his smartphone. There will be some suggestions inside our app made by professional perfumers, but users will not be limited by them."

Does the Ninu smart perfume device need to exist? Probably not. Will it result in ridiculous olfactory sins à la "Sex Panther" in Anchorman? Almost certainly. Are we still sorta curious to try it out? You bet your delicate nostrils we are. While there isn't a firm price set just yet, expect more details to come in the very near future.