The internet experience: see, hear, touch, smell and taste

Virtual Reality in use (Source Inition: www.inition.co.uk/ inition/services.htm

Nowadays there is only one sense, at most two senses that we use to enjoy the internet experience: seeing and in a couple of cases -fortunately increasing in number- hearing. Although we use also our hands and fingers to give in commands and to control what we want to see (and hear), we use our touching sense in connection to the internet barely. No need to talk about smelling and tasting.

Furthermore, I think I do not need to explain that the combinations are very much limited with these at maximum 2 possibilities. Different will it be in the future...

With the development of Virtual Reality and new peripherals that enable us to use the movement of our fingers and maybe in a later stage also our touching (via a feedback function in the internet-glove), we can enhance our browser experience. We will be able to feel products, touch surfaces, virtually move forms from A to B. A similar evolution will there be with the sense of smelling. With the ability to release chemicals proportionally to electronic signals and after the invention of the electronic nose lately, simulating our human smelling function with chemical odor sensors, and using these signals as feedback for what was released in the room in the first place, our visit to a website (or virtual room) will be transformed into a real browser experience. Finally, an internet tasting session can be reached by using mixtures of standard gases or products that are imprignated with one of the 4 tastes: sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Therefore e.g. a wine degustation with matching food could be simulated at home...

Thus, with the implementation of new peripherals and technology involving all of our senses, the internet will become a place where everyone will be spoiled with new experiences. The richness of the medium will be huge, through possibile combinations of all 5 senses.

Summarizing, the medium of the internet will transform from cold towards warm in this scenario, as the requested effort to fill in the gaps will be minimal.