Join Smell Expert Sofia Ehrich as she interviews Professor of Interaction Design at Malmö University, Sweden, Simon Niedenthal. In this interview, they will discuss olfactory play in games and media, Simon’s own background and research in the world of smell, and many other aspects to olfactory research and design.  

Dr. Niedenthal uses game studies frameworks and user-centred methodologies to study olfaction, the sense of smell, in interactive contexts, with the aim of contributing to new applications of the educational, rehabilitative and playful uses of scent. Dr. Niedenthal’s educational background is eclectic: he holds a B.F.A. in photography, an M.A. in medieval English literature, and a Ph.D. in interaction design. In 2008 he defended his Ph.D. thesis 'Complicated Shadows: the Aesthetic Significance of Simulated Illumination in Digital Games’ in the area of game lighting and its effect upon the emotions and behavior of the player. Since 2010 he has employed his multidisciplinary background to explore the history and potentials of smell-enabled gaming and the playful uses of scent.