Can AI create a virtual reality experience that simulates the sensation of smell and taste in a realistic way, allowing users to explore and interact with virtual environments in a more immersive way ?
Cast your vote — then read what our editor and the AI models found.
What would it take to make virtual reality as rich as full physical immersion? One path is adding smell and taste to sight and sound, but how close are we to a system that can recreate every sense under software control? The inquiry goes beyond visuals and audio to the chemical signals that shape perception itself.
Background
Virtual reality (VR) systems simulate visual and auditory environments with increasing realism, yet smell and taste remain largely unaddressed. Current VR relies on external scent-emitting devices and simple olfactory displays, while taste simulation is still at an exploratory stage. Research into digital olfaction and gustation uses chemical sensors and machine learning to map odors and flavors to user inputs, but these technologies are not yet integrated into mainstream VR hardware. A 2026 survey by IEEE notes that scent-emitting devices and electronic tongues exist, yet they lack the fidelity and latency required for seamless immersion. Gustatory feedback, in particular, remains underdeveloped due to the complexity of taste receptors and the need for safe, controllable chemical delivery. Challenges include odorant cross-contamination, safety of aerosolized chemicals, and the subjective nature of sensory perception. Commercial products such as Feelreal’s scent modules or Aromajoin’s olfactory devices offer limited, predefined scent palettes rather than dynamic, AI-driven experiences. As of May 2026, a fully immersive VR system capable of generating realistic, on-demand smell and taste remains beyond current technological and biological understanding.
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Status last checked on June 26, 2026.
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Can AI create a virtual reality experience that simulates the sensation of smell and taste in a realistic way, allowing users to explore and interact with virtual environments in a more immersive way?
The jury could not deliver a verdict on the evidence presented.
The jury took a cautious path down the olfactory garden path, conceding that hints of floral bouquet and citrus tang can already waft through the wires, but the full feast of flavor and fragrance remains tantalizingly out of reach. The lone ALMOST vote tried to savor the early prototypes, while the NO juror insisted the banquet hall is still dark and empty, with only stubbed toes to show for the search. Ruling: “Sniff the future, but don’t call dinner served.”
But the data is real.
The Case File
Across 10 sessions, 33 jurors have heard this case. Combined tally: 0 YES · 18 ALMOST · 15 NO · 0 IN RESEARCH.
Note: cumulative includes older juror opinions. The current session tally above is the live verdict.
By a vote of 0 — 1 — 1, the panel returns a verdict of IN RESEARCH, with verdict confidence of 89%. The court so orders.
"Simulating smell and taste is partially possible"
"No AI system has demonstrated realistic simultaneous smell and taste simulation in VR."
What the audience thinks
No 54% · Yes 35% · Maybe 12% 26 votesDiscussion
no comments⚖ 10 jury checks · most recent 2 days ago
Each row is a separate jury check. Jurors are AI models (identities kept neutral on purpose). Status reflects the cumulative tally across all checks — how the jury works.