Haptics

To try to add a bit more physical feedback to VR, Disney Research has unveiled a prototype wearable device it calls the “Force Jacket,” which uses a set of inflatable bags to simulate pressure and force in time with visuals.

French startup Aurasens is taking CES music lovers on a "visceral, trans-sensory journey" in Las Vegas this week as it launches its high-end audio recliner. The hi-fi chair uses haptic touch points to gently massage the listener as music plays through a pair of headphones.

Some day, even stopping for a rest on a bench at Disneyland might be an attraction, thanks to a mixed reality prototype called the Magic Bench. Designed to make AR more of a group activity, it allows people to interact with animated characters in 3D space, and even feel them through haptic feedback.

How we interact with ordinary objects in virtual reality worlds could play an important role in selling the user experience. Disney researchers have been exploring these possibilities with a proof-of-concept system that enables users to catch a real ball while immersed in a VR.

It’s easier than ever for long-distance couples to stay connected, but if Skype calls and texting aren’t quite enough, the Flex-N-Feel glove, developed by researchers at Simon Fraser University, can help transmit the touch of a hand.

Our CES demo with Cerevo’s Taclim haptic boots and gloves left us unimpressed. It also made us realize that haptic foot feedback is low on our VR wishlist.

Though Vive's wands, the Oculus Touch controllers, and to a far lesser extent, the PSVR's Move wands, do a reasonable job of bringing hands into VR worlds, feet are another story. Soon, we may be able to, almost literally, step into the shoes of our VR avatars with Cerevo's Taclim.

Worn around the neck, different parts of the OmniWear Arc will vibrate at different intensities to give a 360-degree indication of enemy and teammate positions beyond a player's field of view, and it may even find applications outside of the gaming world.

Prostate exams are difficult for med students to learn, thanks to the internal nature of the examination and a lack of willing test subjects. Scientists are developing a robotic rectum that recreates the feel of the real thing and even provides haptic feedback.

Sending ultrasound waves through the back of hand to deliver tactile sensations to the front might sound a little far-fetched, but by achieving just that UK scientists claim to have cleared the way for computers that use our palms as advanced interactive displays.​

Rescue workers searching flood sites need to know what's under the water, but invariably that water is going to be very murky. Well, that's the main scenario for which the IrukaTact was created. It's a submersible haptic feedback glove that lets users "feel" what's below the surface.

Humans communicate primarily in a verbal manner, while dogs rely more on visual cues. As a result, blind people may not always know when their guide dogs are stressed. An experimental new harness, however, may be able to help.​