9.Other
Senses
The sense of balance and motion can be served to a fair degree in a VR system
by a motion platform. These are used in flight simulators and some theaters to
provide some motion cues that the mind integrates with other cues to perceive
motion. It is not necessary to recreate the entire motion perfectly to fool the
mind into a willing suspension of disbelief.
The sense of temperature has seen some technology developments. There exist
very small electrical heat pumps that can produce the sensation of heat and
cold in a localized area. These system are fairly expensive.
Other senses such as taste, smell, pheromone, etc. are beyond our ability to
render rapidly and effectively. Sometimes, we just don't know enough about the
functioning of these other senses.
