Food Experiences in Extended Reality
摘要
In this chapter, we explore how Extended Reality (XR) technologies, including augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR, VR, and MR, respectively). are reshaping food and dining experiences. XR can alter the appearance of food, visualise ingredients, and transform dining spaces, creating immersive environments that blend the real and the fantastical. Concepts such as immersion, presence, and interactivity are central, enabling diners to engage with personalised narratives and virtual culinary worlds. The chapter examines how the integration of sight, sound, and smell can heighten realism and emotional engagement, illustrating this with examples like AR storytelling and sound-enhanced dishes. While XR offers some exciting opportunities to enrich traditional dining and enhance sensory experience, challenges around cost, scalability, and practicality remain. The growing accessibility of mobile AR, however, suggests potential for broader adoption and everyday use, signalling a future where digital augmentation becomes a meaningful part of how we experience food.