Tech
Expanding sensory experiences in virtual environments | Computer Weekly
Human understanding and interactions lean heavily on our experiences with the real world that we are most used to and perfectly suited for. However, skill levels in interacting with digital information are a different issue, and various segments of the population feature widely different degrees of knowledge of how to use digital devices and content.
Comprehensively multisensory engagements marry extended reality (XR) and in real life (IRL) to create genuinely immersive experiences that allow us to perceive them as a true amalgamation of virtual and real worlds. They can also find use to create inclusive interactions for users whose disabilities can make it difficult to access commonplace computing technologies.
Truly multisensory environments require comprehensive technology approaches to address a variety of senses. This requirement creates new opportunities for developers of devices and applications, but also faces substantial hurdles for technological reasons, cost considerations and consumers’ readiness to engage with such environments. Many researchers and developers are taking up the challenge, and are working on a wide range of offerings to address human senses in more comprehensive ways than current applications allow for.
Multisensory technologies are under investigation to expand the ways individuals can interact with digital and virtual applications. Multisensory interfaces and environments have been research and development topics for a long time. Olfactory, haptics and tactile interfaces are available, and even wind- and temperature-interface efforts exist.
Currently, these types of interfaces are relegated to niche applications or small market pockets. But virtual environments and novel technology approaches could result in diffusion of such applications to a wider range of users. Technological, cost and adoption issues exist, but first steps in creating multisensory engagements are under way.
Multisensory environments serve users by connecting in natural ways with virtual information and elements. But companies also can leverage multisensory approaches to create more meaningful – and impactful – connections with consumers and customers.
Paul Silcox, executive creative director at FutureBrand, a brand strategy and design company, believes that from gesture control to in-store design, and mixed, virtual and extended reality, “multisensory marketing is here to stay”. And a crucial aspect of multisensory engagement is the opportunity to make brands and products stand out in a world of visual overload.
Sound and scents for brands
Sonic branding has been around for some time. After more than a quarter-century in use, Intel’s sound logo – the “Intel Inside” musical notes – is perhaps the example that comes to mind most readily. The logo manages to reach consumers if their eyes are focused somewhere else, or even if they are in a different room when watching TV, for example.
Sonic engagement is not new, but there are many more approaches emerging. Recently, a number of experimental sound applications have been launched, and there are many more senses brands – and applications – can make use of.
Smell is another sense that brands frequently leverage. Hotels, shops and entire franchises use scents to evoke a branded experience. Mood Media, an experiential media company, for example, helps clients to create emotional connections with scent marketing. The company is also working with immersive audiovisual solutions, “connecting physical and digital with integrated media for a seamless customer journey”.
For some showings of the movie Heretic, entertainment company A24 partnered with Joya Studio, which researches, develops and produces fragrances and scented objects. During a pivotal scene in the film, selected screenings featured scents that were pumped into the auditorium.
Silcox highlights super-additivity as an important aspect of multisensory branding. Engaging multiple senses simultaneously “is exponentially more powerful than the sum of their individual effects”.
Despite clear benefits, he also points to challenges – challenges that will apply to the entire category of XR-enhanced environments as they become more common. Just randomly embedding sensory effects will not result in desired outcomes – instead, developers will need to focus on “defining individual sensorial assets and bringing them together as a powerful suite for a clear purpose”.
Excitement about multisensory engagements will inevitably lead to designers bundling a smorgasbord of technologies simply because they can. But “it’s important to show restraint and use these tools in deliberate ways in order to avoid an empty, gimmick effect”.
Venues as experiential landscapes
Perhaps expectedly, music venues and events are exploring the use of multisensory sensations to increase the entertainment value. Since the autumn of 2023, the Sphere close to Las Vegas, Nevada, has established a showcase in modern entertainment.
The giant spherical venue features advanced sound systems such as directional sound and virtual acoustic environments, as well as many motion and environmental technologies. The costs were also tremendous, with a price sticker of more than $2bn, providing an understanding of how high the hurdles for wide diffusion are.
However, according to Brian Mirakian, senior principal at Populous, a design firm that focuses on the creation of experiential environments: “Tomorrow’s concerts are more than just performances; they are moments that immerse audiences in environments that engage all five senses, transforming live shows into unforgettable, multi-sensory journeys.”
He adds that “advancements in technology are enabling venues to integrate sensory elements” that require a design and planning process that can be challenging to translate to the many types of venues artists perform in.
Mirakian also cautions that the introduction of advanced technologies, including scents, motion and wind, comes with additional considerations. Creating immersive experiences “necessitates fine-tuning, a process that requires the expertise of those who know the venue to meld the artist’s vision with the venue’s specifications”.
Touch and go on haptics
There exist a wide range of interface technologies, such haptics and selected interfaces, and an obvious market exists for gaming applications, but there are challenges to expanding the use of haptic sensations to create immersive environments in real-world locations that add digital experiences. Marrying haptic sensations of digital interfaces meaningfully with real-world situations and activities is not a trivial task. Nevertheless, new applications are slowly emerging.
“As digital devices evolve, we’re at an exciting inflection point, with the likes of gaming consoles, headphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers and headsets incorporating more features, which will allow brands to develop truly immersive experiences,” says FutureBrand’s Silcox.
FutureBrand created a haptic logo for Mastercard, which uses distinctive haptic vibrations combined with a sonic logo to let customers feel their smartphones when shopping online or paying at shops’ payment terminals with the firm’s credit cards.
Meanwhile, researchers at Northwestern University developed a wearable device to create a “sophisticated variety of haptic sensations”. The device connects wirelessly to VR headsets or smartphones and offers the sensations of “vibrations, stretching, pressure, sliding and twisting”.
The device has a small form factor, attaches to the skin, and can easily be worn on the move. The researchers “envision their device eventually could enhance virtual experiences, help individuals with visual impairments navigate their surroundings, reproduce the feeling of different textures on flat screens for online shopping, provide tactile feedback for remote health care visits, and even enable people with hearing impairments to ‘feel’ music”.
The researchers also mention the use in applications where touch supports users with visual or hearing impairments, and other companies are focusing on related applications. OneCourt has developed a device that enables tactile sports broadcasts. The device resembles a tablet that outlines the game courts, and is described as “transforming gameplay into trackable vibrations”. The entrepreneurs created the offering to help visually impaired sports fans experience games.
Jerred Mace, the CEO and founder of OneCourt, says: “We’ve essentially developed a laptop-sized haptic display that’s capable of communicating dynamic information like sporting events through touch.”
The device is focused on sporting events, but similar services may find use in many more commercial applications to enhance immersive environments – and could support individuals with and without visual impairments.
The long way for puzzle pieces to fall into place
New interface technologies can enable multisensory sensations that will elevate metaverse environments. Initial use cases exist in industrial, healthcare and entertainment markets, for instance. However, truly immersive environments will remain elusive in consumer markets for quite some time.
The long-term prospects look better. Touchscreens, app-supported stores and public venues also required time to diffuse, and are now almost ubiquitous.
For companies trying to leverage these new opportunities, the question remains what sensory technologies to bundle in what form factor. What is the right breadth and depth of multisensory sensations for what kind of applications, and for which consumer segments? Possible combinations are virtually limitless.
A better understanding of human interactions with virtual environments and digital objects will be crucial to drive commercial applications. As Silcox advises, “we need to ask what our end desired purpose or reaction is that we are looking to provoke”.
Martin Schwirn is a strategy and innovation consultant for Global 2000 companies, and the author of Small data, big disruptions: How to spot signals of change and manage uncertainty (ISBN 9781632651921).
Tech
This Premium Sennheiser Soundbar Is $1,000 Off
Looking for an all-in-one soundbar that sounds as big as it looks? Sennheiser’s Ambeo Max uses its oversized body to produce beefy, enveloping sound, and right now you can grab it for just $2,000 at Best Buy, a sizable $1,000 markdown from the usual list price. It’s one of our favorite standalone premium soundbars, particularly if you don’t want to deal with an exterior subwoofer but still want bigger bass than you’re likely to find on smaller options.
While it might be a bit larger than your average soundbar, Sennheiser uses the space well, packing a ton of functionality and drivers into the less-than-compact body. There are both full-range and 1-inch tweeters combined in every conceivable direction, and the result is an impressive reproduction of true spatial audio, something few other standalone bars can claim. As a result, it also has an impressive low-end, with bass that doesn’t rival dedicated subwoofers, but comes really close for how much simpler the setup process will be.
The larger footprint also allows for a huge number of inputs, more than you’re likely to find on those tiny soundbars that slide under your screen. In addition to an HDMI 2.1 output with eARC, you’ll get three HDMI inputs with 4K pass-through at 60Hz, USB, Ethernet, and optical audio. There are even RCA ports in case you want to hook this up to your turntable. There’s also a dedicated subwoofer output, in case you decide you want to add one to your setup down the road, giving you a ton of options should you decide to put the Ambeo Max at the center of your home audio setup.
Ready to make the move to a bigger, better soundbar? Swing on over to Best Buy to grab this hefty discount on the Sennheiser Ambeo Max, or check out our guide to the best premium soundbars for some of our other favorite picks. If you’re just out looking for a great deal in general, the Amazon Big Spring Sale is underway, and we’ve got a dedicated post with all the best discounts on everything from smartwatches to water bottles.
Tech
ICE Agents Frustrate Airport Workers as Shutdown Drags On
On Thursday, hours-long security lines snaked through New York City’s LaGuardia Airport. The wait was far from the longest in the country—George Bush International Airport in Houston reported three and a half hour lines. Over a month into a partial government shutdown that has left some Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees working without pay, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are calling in sick or leaving work en masse, leading to travel chaos around the US. The Trump administration’s solution? Send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in.
ICE agents were deployed to at least 14 airports on Monday, ostensibly in an effort to speed up security lines—and five days into ICE’s incursion, airport employees are infuriated. The ICE agents, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) who work for the TSA tell WIRED, don’t have the proper certification and training to perform many of tasks that might truly speed up security lines. The TSA employees say they’re frustrated by the situation—and worried about what it might mean for their future.
ICE agents have been spotted walking in packs, patrolling security lines and baggage areas. They have been seen giving directions to lost passengers, photographed distributing mini water bottles to those waiting in line, and, more often than not, standing around and appearing to do very little. “ICE are here and they’re doing literally nothing to help,” passengers in a security line overheard one airline worker complain on Wednesday at John F. Kennedy airport in New York.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that some passengers stuck in line spotted ICE agents being trained to check passenger IDs and boarding passes. In a hearing in front of the US House Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday, TSA acting head Ha Nguyen McNeill said that “the travel document checker function is one of the nonspecialized screen functions of the TSA,” and said ICE agents are being trained to conduct checks.
TSOs say ICE’s presence is frustrating to those working without pay—especially because ICE agents are being paid. “If you want to bring a tactical force into an environment where it’s required to have customer service and a mindset where you know what you’re doing, how to identify something that might be suspicious—they don’t have that training,” says Hydrick Thomas, a security officer and the president of AFGE Local 2222, which covers New York and New Jersey airports.
Security officers say they’re concerned for their coworkers, who, thanks to last fall’s government shutdown, haven’t received a steady paycheck for half of the fiscal year. Agents are worried about paying for rent, mortgages, gas, and childcare. Food banks have stood up drives in several airports, including those in Houston, North Carolina, and San Diego. In Knoxville, Tennessee, airport authorities are accepting donations for employees at a Delta Airlines counter. Eleven percent of airport checkpoint employees called out on Tuesday, compared to four percent pre-shutdown, a federal official testified to Congress on Wednesday morning. Some airports, including those in Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, and New York’s John F. Kennedy, have seen daily callout rates higher than 35 percent. More than 480 TSA screeners have quit since the shutdown began in February, the agency says.
Long term, security officers say they’re concerned that the federal government plans to replace them with other federal agents, including ICE agents, or private sector employees. One mentioned Project 2025, a blueprint for the second Trump administration published by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which advocates for privatizing TSA altogether.
“A part of the American dream that I was sold was that working for the government was honorable and stable,” Carlos Rodriguez, a security officer and a AFGE TSA Council 100 vice president representing airports Northeastern airports from New Jersey to Vermont. “But this is not honorable or stable at this moment.”
Tech
Skip the TSA Line: Where to Find Travel by Bus, Train, and Boat
Every year, without fail, the US experiences at least one major disruption in air travel due to severe weather, government shutdowns, software outages, or power outages—you name it.
Right now, a partial government shutdown has meant that thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers have not been paid for several weeks, causing many to call out of work or quit. That has meant long security lines—more than three-hour waits—ensuing chaos at airports around the country. It’s unclear how long this mess will last, so it’s worth thinking about other options.
Flights are also expensive and hard on the environment. If you can take a bus, train, or ferry to your destination, why shouldn’t you? These travel search apps help you find routes and prices so you can compare them and make the best decision.
Wanderu
Best for Buses and Trains in the US and Canada
In the US and Canada, Wanderu is my go-to search aggregator for travel by bus or train (it works in Europe and the UK, too). Wanderu is your classic travel aggregator, looking up the schedules and prices across several bus and train operators, including Amtrak, BestBus, Flixbus, Greyhound, OurBus, Peter Pan, RedCoach, Vamoose, and others.
You see price comparisons at a glance, as well as options for upgraded class fares, departure and arrival times, and the location of each bus and train station, since sometimes you can save a lot of time by choosing one point over another. Filters help you narrow down your results based on your preferences, and you can book right from the app.
Omio
Compares Trains, Buses, Flights With Excellent Summaries
If you aren’t sure whether you want to travel by land or air, head to Omio. Type in your departure point, destination, and the date you want to travel, and Omio finds routes by plane, bus, and train. A concise summary at the top of the search results tells you the lowest fare and how long it will take for each mode of transportation, so you can make an informed decision quickly. Omio also shows whether the fare will be higher or lower if you travel on a different day of the same week, in case your dates are flexible.
Rome2Rio
Includes Comparison for Driving
Rome2Rio compares prices and times for travel by bus, train, flight, and driving yourself, based on estimated fuel costs. It works reasonably well for trips in the US and Canada. Rome2Rio touts itself as being for worldwide travel, though Europe and the UK seem to be its sweet spot. Elsewhere, take the approach of “trust, but verify,” and this app will take you places.
Virail
Compares Buses, Trains, and Flights
Virail is similar to Omio, comparing travel options by train, bus, and flight, with a neat summary of prices at the top of the search results, although it lacks the total travel time. For that, you have to scroll through the results. To book a ticket, Virail sends you to other websites, and you might have to do additional legwork to reserve your seat. It works reasonably well in the US and Canada (in testing, it got a little tripped up in Mexico), and does well for travel in Europe and the UK.
Vivanoda
Includes Flight and Carpool
Vivanoda (website only, no app) is similar to Omio, comparing all your options for getting between two points—and it includes flights, ferries, and carpool/rideshare options when applicable. The site operates out of the European Union and seems to work slightly better for travel in Europe and the UK than in the US and Canada, where it has some holes. (It didn’t find a direct flight between San Francisco and Vancouver, for example, even though there is more than one daily.)
Seat 61
Best Old-School Site for Trains and Bus Info Worldwide
Seat61, also known as The Man in Seat 61 (website only), has an old-school look and some of the best, most reliable information about traveling by bus and rail all around the world. Mark Smith, who runs the site, tells you exactly where in the world he knows about the train and bus routes: The site lists all the countries it covers on the left side, everywhere from Albania to Zimbabwe. He shares timetables, prices, and even includes photos, though his site is not a search aggregator, and you do have to go elsewhere to book. That said, it’s an excellent resource.
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