LAS VEGAS (AP) — Is the metaverse closer than we think?

It depends who you ask at CES, where companies show off innovations that could take us deeper into virtual reality, also known as VR.

The metaverse, essentially a buzzword for three-dimensional virtual communities where people can meet, work and play, was a key topic during the four-day tech rally in Las Vegas that ends Sunday.

Taiwanese tech giant HTC unveiled a high-end virtual reality headset that aims to compete with market leader Meta, and a host of other companies and startups touted augmented reality glasses and sensory technologies that can help users feel , and even smell, in a virtual environment.

Among them, Vermont-based OVR Technology displayed a headset containing a cartridge with…