The computer already stimulates our sense of sight and sound. What is next? Anything being developed now?
I have heard they are working on a “smell” type program, but I can’t find anything for you at the moment.
I can already picture it…
“The rotting fish virus”
Touch would be my guess - force-feedback in VR suits.
Force feedback is already used in lots of controllers, and the Playstation 2’s controller vibrates (which is not the same as force feedback, because it has no directions, only speed of vibration). I read about a smell-device as well.
and here’s some info on a computer that can simulate our senses (different from the question you ask) :
The 6th sense! Scientists are already working hard at developing technology to let you see dead people. Sure to be an hit with the kids.
Frankly until technology is leagues away from where we are now, I can do without the many failed attempts at stimulating my other senses which are sure to come before it is perfected.
The technology for smell, taste, and touch is there already. It’s just a matter of developing it to a point where it’s practical, then mass-marketing it because at the moment these sensory devices are just far too expensive for the average consumer to consider buying.
A computer monitor is hardly a perfected visual device, but it’s practical. That’s the difference.
An important step in developing practicality will be in combining the senses, such as taste and touch or even smell and touch. This way, Joe Bloe, trying to decide which local pizzeria to order an extra-cheese Sicilian from, can feel the texture of the pizzas in his mouth before ordering. Somehow this seems far more effective than his tasting pizza-flavored wafers, which is the near-future way of simulating taste.
As far as immersing the user in his virtual experience, smell will likely come next because of the nature of the devices needed to produce the other senses. Smell is simply less invasive than taste or touch (in their “perfected” sense).
Here’s some interesting links discussing the topic:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/nr/1998/phantom.html
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/tech/DailyNews/websmelling000401.html
You’d think there would be more demand for something to stimulate horse sense.
Judging by the content of the Internet (our own company excepted of course), I don’t think the answer is going to be “common sense.”