Connect with us

Technology

You’ll soon be able to SMELL in the metaverse – including virtual FARTS

A METAVERSE without smells would be like living in black and white – and even the bad ones like body odour and farts have an important place.

That’s according to a sensory scientist who’s pushing the boundaries of virtual reality to a whole new level.

OVR TechnologyPeople able to smell virtual objects[/caption]

OVR TechnologyFlowers and fire among the things you can sniff at in virtual world[/caption]

VR and the metaverse has largely focused on sight, sound and touch, but taste and smell is often forgotten, mainly because it’s so complex to achieve.

But a company called OVR Technology has come up with a way to bring odour to the virtual world that could eventually lead the way into the metaverse as well.

And for a truly multi-sensory experience, it shouldn’t just be all the wonderful smells like roses or food, but the nasty ones we tend to avoid in the real world.

“For me, living in the world of scent, all smells are interesting even bad smells and they have their function,” OVR Technology boss Aaron Wisniewski told The Sun.

Read more about the metaverse

META MAKEOUT

Metaverse KISSING possible with tech that ‘sends sensation to lips and TONGUE’

JUST DO IT

Nike is selling virtual metaverse trainers for an eyewatering $80,000

“They all have a part – smells are human.

“Of course, fart smell, you could prank someone.

“But there’s really interesting higher impact bad smells also.”

For example, his team has worked with a researcher on a progamme called Brave Mind which uses smell to assist war veterans with PTSD.


Alongside VR, it uses awful smells like blood, poo, urine, burning hair and smoke to help them in their recovery.

“All these horrible smells are memory triggers, you can use them in a therapeutic setting,” he said.

“We’re just scratching the surface about what can be done with this technology.”

But he doesn’t believe the metaverse will just be about recreating existing smells, new ones will be invented too.

OVR Technology‘All smells are interesting even bad smells,’ says scientist Aaron Wisniewski, left[/caption]

“We get to reinvent what smell is, what’s the smell of outer space and lasers and monsters and all these interesting things,” he continued.

“So we’re not shying away from the bad smells but what we are doing is figuring out what smells can we create and who can we work with to create measurable positive impact.”

Among the more pleasant odours the four year-old firm has developed are mindfulness experiences, allowing users to select from nature environments like a waterfall or a beach where they can reach out for scent orbs.

The clever technology works with a cartridge that is plugged into the front of the VR headset and releases tiny scent particles as you approach the relevant virtual object using invisible geometry.

So if you go up to a rose, you’ll start to get a whiff of it – and the closer you bring it to yourself the stronger the smell gets.

Wisniewski – a self-confessed “mad scientist” who’s long worked on everything to do with smell – said odour is key to the metaverse because it has a massive subconscious influence over memory, emotions and motivations.

“I think a lot of the folks who lost their sense of smell during Covid can attest to, ‘oh wow, it really is important’,” he said.

Read More on The Sun

WW3 MAY DAY

Putin could declare new world war within DAYS, warns Defence Secretary

‘turned off’

The One Show fans all have the same complaint about Rob and Romesh interview

“And a lot of people who did lose their sense of smell describe it as like being detached from reality, like black and white or behind a sheet of glass.

“I would hate for the metaverse to be akin to that feeling, collective digital anosmia.”

OVR TechnologySmall cartridge with scents packed in is attached to VR headset[/caption]

Read all the latest Phones & Gadgets newsKeep up-to-date on Apple storiesGet the latest on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram

Best Phone and Gadget tips and hacks

Looking for tips and hacks for your phone? Want to find those secret features within social media apps? We have you covered…

How to get your deleted Instagram photos back
How to track someone on Google Maps
How can I increase my Snapchat score?
How can I change my Facebook password?
How can I do a duet on TikTok?
Here’s how to see if your Gmail has been hacked
How can I change my Amazon Alexa voice in seconds?
What is dating app Bumble?
How can I test my broadband internet speed?
Here’s how to find your Sky TV remote in SECONDS

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk