Haptics

Scientists have devised a clever new method of allowing people to feel sensations that are transmitted to their skin. Beyond its applications in fields such as gaming and telepresence, the technology could also be used to guide the blind.

Some folks prefer to get a grip on things to better understand concepts. Researchers have developed smart gloves for tactile learners that use haptic feedback and AI to teach users new skills, fast-track precision training and control robots remotely.

There are now a number of gloves that deliver tactile sensations to VR users' fingertips when they touch virtual objects. The Phantom glove is unique, however, in that it doesn't cover the fingers, leaving them free for real-world interactions.

Researchers have developed an ultrathin electronic tattoo capable of reproducing the localized sensation of touch in its wearer. The device has the potential to be used to manufacture haptic displays and devices for healthcare and robotics.

Fluid Reality is offering a cheaper, more lightweight haptic VR glove that doesn’t need to be tethered to bulky backpacks or multitudes of tubing. It’s designed to provide users with a high-resolution VR experience, direct to their fingertips.

In recent years, we've heard about navigational systems which guide pedestrians via vibrating actuators in their shoes. The FeetThrough system takes a different and reportedly better approach, by actually shocking the soles of the feet.

Haptic feedback systems, in which users receive tactile signals, definitely show a lot of promise … but they can be electronically complex. An experimental new setup makes things simpler, by incorporating pneumatic pouches into wearable sleeves.

Blind people using white canes are limited in how fast they can walk, as they have to wait for their cane to hit obstacles before going around them. The NextGuide cane is different, in that it steers users around obstacles that they've yet to reach.

While there are already haptic feedback VR gloves that provide a simulated sense of touch to users, they typically cost at least a few thousand dollars. The Pulse glove is aimed at making the tech more accessible, in that it's priced at just US$299.

Last year we heard about an "electronic skin" developed at City University of Hong Kong, which delivers tactile sensations to wearers. The university has now gone one better, with an e-skin that both senses and reproduces users' touches.

Entering passcodes on smartphones can be difficult for the blind, as they can't see the screen, nor can they tell if someone else is peeking at it. The OneButtonPIN app is designed to help, by utilizing vibrations instead of visuals.

While technology is making strides in absorbing our eyes and ears in virtual worlds, it’s harder to engage senses like touch. Engineers have now developed WeTac, a thin, wearable electronic "skin" that provides tactile feedback to users in VR and AR.