<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<p>Sensing in the physical world differs from sensing in virtual worlds. As visualized in Penfield’s homunculus, touch and taste play a big role in physical surroundings. In contrast, the “Homunculus Metaversensis” for virtual reality would look different, reflecting the dominance of visual and auditory perception in virtual experiences facilitated by technologies like head-mounted displays. To create truly immersive experiences, touch, balance, movement, smell and taste are all relevant. While some progress has been made in haptic feedback and olfactory stimulation, advancement in these fields is still limited. Therefore, augmented reality, which combines physical and digital experiences, may be a more viable option for satisfying multiple senses in the present. However, future breakthroughs in virtual reality technology could enhance sensory experiences in the metaverse.</p>
</abstract>

Sensing in the physical world differs from sensing in virtual worlds. As visualized in Penfield’s homunculus, touch and taste play a big role in physical surroundings. In contrast, the “Homunculus Metaversensis” for virtual reality would look different, reflecting the dominance of visual and auditory perception in virtual experiences facilitated by technologies like head-mounted displays. To create truly immersive experiences, touch, balance, movement, smell and taste are all relevant. While some progress has been made in haptic feedback and olfactory stimulation, advancement in these fields is still limited. Therefore, augmented reality, which combines physical and digital experiences, may be a more viable option for satisfying multiple senses in the present. However, future breakthroughs in virtual reality technology could enhance sensory experiences in the metaverse.

The Homunculus in the Metaverse: Is Virtual Reality Prepared for Our SevenSenses?

University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Sensing in the physical world differs from sensing in virtual worlds. As visualized in Penfield’s homunculus, touch and taste play a big role in physical...

The Homunculus in the Metaverse: Is Virtual Reality Prepared for Our SevenSenses?

Published Online: Oct 26, 2023

Page range: 36 - 41

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nimmir-2023-0015

Keywords
Metaverse, Sensory Homunculus, Sensing, Virtual Experiences

© 2023 Thies Pfeiffer, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The Homunculus in the Metaverse: Is Virtual Reality Prepared for Our SevenSenses?

Published Online: Oct 26, 2023

Page range: 36 - 41

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nimmir-2023-0015

KeywordsMetaverse, Sensory Homunculus, Sensing, Virtual Experiences

© 2023 Thies Pfeiffer, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Metaverse, Sensory Homunculus, Sensing, Virtual Experiences