If you've ever eaten sushi, then you'll know that a little dab of wasabi (or Japanese horseradish) goes a looooong way.
Now, a company in Japan has created a prototype silent smoke alarm for people with hearing disabilities. It sprays a mist of wasabi essence (from spray can wasabi!) into the air.
The pungent smell succeeded in waking up 13 out of 14 test subjects within 2 minutes. One deaf subject woke up in a mere 10 seconds.
I wouldn't wake up to the smell of food, especially if it was in a deep sleep. But something as physically irritating as wasabi? Definitely.
Just thinking about wasabi has me hungry for some sushi, though. *Pavlovian drool*
--TwoDragons