Our sense of smell shapes how we navigate our environment, but it’s a sensation that’s notoriously difficult to recreate in the digital world.

To overcome this challenge, researchers have developed a device that uses an artificial intelligence e-nose to detect and analyze odors. Combined with a wearable release system called Scentronic, which uses machine learning algorithms to classify data in real time, the system passed the smell test in the lab by encouraging better interactions between humans and machines.

“This work combines innovations in hardware and software to bring new solutions to societal challenges,” said Jinghua Li, senior author of the study and an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at The Ohio State University. “Our long-term goal here is to incorporate these systems into compact and personalized devices.”