Would you buy a car that released calming smells into the air when you are stuck in heavy traffic? Would you buy a robot that smells like a human being? Scientists suggest that new technology means people will soon be using devices like these in their daily lives. The British Science Festival took place recently in Brighton, England. At the event, researchers from the University of Sussex demonstrated some of the technology that might be coming soon. Many people have seen the three-dimensional computer-made environments of virtual reality, known as VR. Now these virtual worlds will not just look and sound real. Researchers have created VR environments that even smell like the real thing. With the new technology, users open a virtual door and step into a new environment, like a rainforest. After they enter this virtual world, special equipment releases forest-like smells into the air to make the experience seem more real.
