Researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois created a wearable device that recreate a variety of touch sensations.
The device is equipped with a Bluetooth module and a miniature battery, which makes it completely autonomous. It can be used in VR and AR applications to convey realistic sensations: from a light touch to complex movement of an object on the skin.
It is a tiny device, the size of a fingertip, that can accurately recreate a variety of touch sensations. Unlike classic vibration motors, which only transmit simple vibrations, this technology uses a tiny programmable actuator that physically moves the skin in different directions, simulating pressure, sliding, pulling, or twisting.
This technology could open up new horizons for gaming, medical simulation, training, and other areas where realistically conveying physical interaction in a digital space is important.
