Smells on web within 10 years

Korean government predicts technology changes

It's long been the butt of "smelly-vision" jokes, but the ability to transmit smells remotely might be possible within 10 years.

Korean scientists have said that by 2015, computers connected to the internet might be able to 'play back' smells using a fragrance cartridge. The prediction was part of a report produced by the South Korean government.

Other predictions included – in five years – mobile phone batteries that will last for two months between charges, and robotic surgeons by 2018.