Sound and Sight? Next: Touch and Smell

Ric Edelman: It's Thursday, June 22nd. And we've been talking about video games all this week and all of last week as well. If you missed any of these episodes, the links to the shows you've missed are all in the show links today.

Let me ask you this. Do you think video games are cool? Well, you ain't seen nothing yet. For now, you see and hear what's going on when you play a video game. The next generation of video games will feature not just seeing and hearing, but touching. You're going to be able to pick things up. If there's an Arctic scene, you'll get cold. When your avatar gets shot, you'll feel the bullets.

This is called haptic technology. This means you're going to need to wear haptic clothing. We're going to start with gloves later on vests and shirts and pants and helmets. You already have devices that use haptic actuators. They shake your phone or your Apple Watch hits you on the wrist to announce alerts.

The new versions of this haptic technology are not just going to let you feel the tap, tap, tap of your Apple Watch. These new devices will provide electrical stimulation. They will send electrical current to your skin. And depending on the amount of current that you get, you'll get anything from a tingle to actual muscle contraction. That's how you're going to feel that you've been shot, stabbed or blown up. Does that sound crazy? Some people find that really fascinating. Other technology is going to use pneumatics. Compressed air will create the sense of touch.

Now, I'll warn you, in the beginning, all this tech is going to be really expensive. The gloves that are on the market today, they cost five grand a pair. But think back to the first VCRs, those video cassette recorders they used to cost thousands of dollars. Today, you can record TV shows for free.

So eventually that full body suit you're going to wear when you're playing a video game in the metaverse, it'll be free or near free. The tech will not only be used there, either smartphones, computers, touch screens and cars, digital menus and restaurants.

This haptic technology can be used in so many places. Painting apps on your laptop. You'll feel like you're really holding the brush. The harder you press, the more you'll feel it. The more ink will come out on the digital pad. With haptics, you'll feel things when you're driving so you can keep watching the road without having to look at a screen. This haptic technology, which is being developed for video games, will have application in so many other areas of our lives. Another reason it's so exciting and another reason why we've been spending two weeks talking about all this. Our final installment is tomorrow.

You know, Jean's podcast, Self-Care with Jean Edelman is now her own independent podcast, and her new podcast premieres each week every Thursday. Jean's really passionate about sharing her knowledge and insights with you on self-care, mindfulness, and overall wellness. I know she wants to hear from you. You can sign up for her free email updates. Just ask Jean your questions. Jean's subject this week: Food on a busy day. You can listen to Jean's podcast anytime you Like, everywhere that you get your podcasts. Subscribe at Self-Care with Jean.com.

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