" Holistic Virtual Environments

Virtual Environments (VEs) are expected to facilitate real−time interaction with human participants by using five major senses (Ref 1,2,8). These major channels provide means of interaction as well as tools for communication. However, the existence of several other senses, such as sense of fear, sense of well being, are also aspects of human interaction. Sadly, present technological focus of Virtual Reality (VR) is only the five primary channels. In the past such a reductionist approach has met with only partial success, and can be considered fatally flawed (Ref 7,9) especially when we must deal with multiple human participants in virtual environments. Thus there is a need to systematically study and create "Holistic" Virtual Environments which are sensitive to the emotional, psychological needs of the participants connected through a virtual environment.