What is Somatosensory Cortex

Touch is fundamental to create our perception of reality and to allow fulfilling social experiences, such as those at the basis of metaverses. In order to be accurately reproduced, a number of scientific and technological aspects should be considered. In this chapter, the authors highlight the relevance of the tactile modality in eliciting ‘presence' in virtual reality interactions. They also discuss the neuroscientific foundation of our bodily interactions and the fact that they are based on a number of receptors and neural circuits that contribute to the complexity of our perceptions. The available technological devices for the reproduction of touch in virtual environments and their limitations are also described. They suggest that virtual interactions should include more of this sensory modality and that attempts should be made to go beyond the actual approach to ‘mimicking reality'. In particular, future simulations should consider the perspective of creative ‘hyper-sensations' including ‘hyper-touch' on the basis of our psychological and neuroscientific knowledge.