[论文解读] Smell with Genji: Rediscovering Human Perception through an Olfactory Game with AI

Awu Chen, Vera Yu Wu+8 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Feb 2, 2026

Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies被引用 0

一句话总结

一个由AI mediation的嗅觉互动系统，通过与感知AI共嗅伙伴的协作，扩展Genji-kō，实现气味比较与反思性对话，探索人类与机器对嗅觉的感知差异。

ABSTRACT

Olfaction plays an important role in human perception, yet its subjective and ephemeral nature makes it difficult to articulate, compare, and share across individuals. Traditional practices like the Japanese incense game Genji-ko offer one way to structure olfactory experience through shared interpretation. In this work, we present Smell with Genji, an AI-mediated olfactory interaction system that reinterprets Genji-ko as a collaborative human-AI sensory experience. By integrating a game setup, a mobile application, and an LLM-powered co-smelling partner equipped with olfactory sensing and LLM-based conversation, the system invites participants to compare scents and construct Genji-mon patterns, fostering reflection through a dialogue that highlights the alignment and discrepancies between human and machine perception. This work illustrates how sensing-enabled AI can participate in olfactory experience alongside users, pointing toward new possibilities for AI-supported sensory interaction and reflection in HCI.

研究动机与目标

• 通过把嗅觉感知重新框定为协作性的、反思性的活动来解决嗅觉-语言的差距。
• 将Genji-kō重新理解为AI支持的社交互动，而非数字化的独立任务。
• 展示AI共嗅伙伴如何感知时间维度的气味变化并与人类进行有意义的对话。
• 提供一个结合嗅觉传感、LLM推理和移动可视化的系统，促进感官发现与身心健康。

提出的方法

• 实现一个受Genji-kō启发的带有移动应用和AI共嗅伙伴的引导性游戏。
• 使用时间序列嗅觉传感（MOS传感器）在不点燃熏香的情况下捕捉气味动态。
• 开发一个带有Transformer编码器和MLP头的5类熏香分类的时间序列气味分类模型。
• 使用检索增强生成（RAG）结合静态和动态数据库以支持情境感知对话。
• 实时可视化Genji-mon模式并提供最终结论比较人类与AI的解读。

Figure 1. Diagram showing the interactive experience of Smell with Genji

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 AI如何作为共嗅伙伴参与以增强嗅觉感知与反思？
• RQ2 时间序列传感数据与LLM对话是否能比传统的Genji-kō促成更深入的气味表达与比较？
• RQ3 在人类判断与机器解读的嗅觉体验之间存在何种对齐或分歧？
• RQ4 以传感数据和先前互动为基础的嗅觉对话是否促进更丰富的反思实践？

主要发现

• 系统实现五轮嗅闻、比较与对话，逐步构建Genji-mon模式。
• AI感知时间序列传感动态，并以基于传感数据和先前会话为基础进行对话。
• 由于分类准确度受控条件下约40%，AI解读被设计为支持性而非竞争性。
• 参与者在AI之间的对齐与分歧时刻体验到进一步反思气味相似性判断的过程。
• 最终揭示将参与者的Genji-mon与AI信息化模式并置，随后对传感趋势如何影响判断进行简要回顾。

Figure 2. Overview of the Smell with Genji setup. (a) Mobile application for guided gameplay and Genji-mon visualization. (b) AI co-smelling partner embodied in a 3D-printed enclosure with sensing and display. (c) Incense holder for smelling.