Why the next big thing is…touch, smell, movement, and actual physical space. (Shocking, I know).
A confession:
I love my screens.
I love my AI tools, my reality-cancelling headphones, my dopamine-refresh cycles, and whatever interface lets me avoid, like, people.
But lately, I’ve noticed a strange glitch in the Matrix.
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People — especially startup founders — are building for the real world again.
Not some AI clone of your favourite actor.
But actual space. With actual bodies. And actual senses.
But metaverse tags along!
In a world obsessed with simulation and scale, we’re seeing the rise of startups that want you to feel, touch, eat, move, and maybe even cry.
It’s giving “oh crap, we miss serotonin.”
So today’s nugget: startups reviving physical, embodied experiences — from brainwave wearables to fully-immersive phygital experiences blurring fantasy and reality!
Let’s go down this multi-sensory rabbit hole, shall we?
Brain-Computer Interfaces: Your Mind, Plugged In
Neurotech is where science fiction and ‘please don’t fry my neurons’ meet.
- Neuralink: Elon Musk is out here trying to make Bluetooth for your brain. Casual.
- NextMind: Reads your visual cortex and lets you control devices with your mind. Now owned by Snap — gear up, folks, we are activating our almost ESPs?
- Cognixion: Brain-controlled AR headsets designed for people with motor or speech disabilities. Actually helpful, not just Black Mirror-core.
What’s the vibe?
Mental → physical. Thoughts → action.
Also, possibly → mind-reading capitalism? We’ll see.
Sensory Wellness & Biofeedback: Your Nervous System Called
Turns out your body knows things before your brain does. Who knew?
- Apollo Neuro: Sends soothing vibrations to your body like a calming tap on the shoulder. Only less needy than actual humans.
- Wavepaths: A trippy blend of music, therapy, and ambient visuals. Ideal if your soul needs a spa day.
- Eight Sleep: Wellness tech that listens to your body before it screams at you.
Bottomline?
Your feelings are real. Your nervous system is the new UI.
Touch > Tabs.
Immersive IRL Spaces: Because Zoom Fatigue is So 2020
These startups said: what if real life…but interesting?
- Meow Wolf: Psychedelic walk-through installations by artists, where logic goes to die and vibes reign supreme.
- Superblue: Experiential art for people who want to feel things without talking about their childhood.
- teamLab: Japan’s gift to the world — immersive digital art that responds to your movement. Step in, feel wonder, leave changed.
- Studio Elsewhere: Builds recharge rooms for healthcare workers using neuroscience and spatial design. Burnout? Who’s she?
- Sandbox VR: Full-body VR with haptics — it’s like laser tag on mushrooms (allegedly).
The Mood?
Move over escapism. We want immersion.
And we want it offline.
Offbeat Startups That Are Straight-Up Sensory Sorcery
These aren’t your standard pitch-deck darlings. These are the weirdos we love:
- OVR Technology: Brings smell into the metaverse. Because what’s VR without Eau de Ocean Breeze?
- Sensiks: Makes Sensory Reality Pods — booths that simulate environments through scent, heat, sound, wind, and even memory.
- Actronika: Builds ultra-precise haptic vests. Horror game fans, your trauma just got tactile.
- Synesthesia Experience Labs (Japan/Singapore): Experimental collectives creating edible memory capsules and shadow-triggered music floors.
- Aerobanquets RMX: Where VR meets fine dining! Bring your mouth and your mind because you can smell and taste flavours!
- HaptX: Gloves that give real pressure feedback in VR. So yes, you can now feel virtual kittens.
TL;DR (Too Lifelike; Didn’t Read)
Startups are returning to the real:
- Nervous-system-aware
- Built for bodies and brains
- Equal parts therapy, art, fantasy, and sci-fi
Credits
This post is curated by Deepa Sai, a fan of sci-fi but a stan of human-tech interfaces!