The world has made progress and continues to do so more than thought. Especially visual virtual reality is approaching at a fast rate with VR and it is a wonder what kind of a world will be revealed in 3-5 years.
Among this, is a fascinating new project on virtual eating.
http://www.projectnourished.com/
In this project, food is not simply eaten in a VR setting but the brain is scammed using various additional tools on the side.
The props list contains: VR, a fork and cup controller, smell diffuser, a bone conducting sensor which simulates the sound of tasting food, and finally a 3D printed low calorie food.
The essence of this project lies in the question, "how much can the brain be scammed?" Visual illusion birthed movies... Or better, continued what began in the age of paintings, and now is used to further scam as in 3D movies.
Recently, with the 4Dx and its vibrations, smells, sprayed vapors and such, we are having more and more difficulty keeping things "real" each day.
Although it is questionable whether a flavorless low calories hard or soft jelly can truly simulate taste, I believe that it is largely possible.
A person's sense of taste greatly relies on his or her experience with the sense of smell, as evidenced by the fact that food has no real taste while with the flu. Hence, our sense of smell is tricked and we are hypnotized to see food in front of us. In addition, if we can chew the 3D printed material in the shape of food and the bone conducting sensors simulate chewing sounds according to the movement of our jaws and type of food; for example, if crunchy sounds for an apple, and say, loud chewing sounds for a piece of steak are transferred to our jaw bones, could we, in fact, not be scammed? Even if we were scammed from all four directions?
Of course it will most likely be impossible to simulate the experience of eating a burger where many ingredients in similar shape together form a completely different chewing sensation and And oozing patty juices. However, I think it will be easily possible for simpler foods and drinks as in the examples above.
Although industrialization of it is unlikely, I believe that if the side tools become more common, contrary to the naysayers who argue no one would use such a thing, the project has a great chance of success as people already enjoy vicarious experiences.
My dream is to one day live in and experience a Matrix-like world, where smells are sprayed from a tool but the sense of smell is delivered to the brain through electrical signals. Preferably, this would take place in my youth and not while on my death bed.
