Despite the incredible—and increasing—ability of digital technology to simulate visual experiences, even the most committed Oculus Rift proponent will admit that the sense of touch is neglected amid the intense focus on visuality among developers.
An impressive new tactile interface called Ultrahaptics, however, is poised to change all that. It uses ultrasound to create a force field, letting you feel tactile sensations in midair without any need for gloves or fancy attachments on the part of users.
The Ultrahaptics device is a 16×16 inch grid of 64 ultrasonic transducers that reflect air pressure waves off of a user’s hand. The system, which was developed based on research from the University of Bristol, premiered at CES 2015 to great acclaim, including a CES Top Picks award.
At CES, company paired the device with a Leap Motion peripheral that allowed users to see their hand in space and follow tactile prompts, like popping bubbles and turning a virtual dial.
They got candid video of wowed users who had never quite had the experience before of a ‘phantom’ sensation on their fingertips. The research, of course, has helped refine this experience: for example, the waves are now emitted for longer lengths of time at different points to help replicate a sense of motion.
The possibilities for such an interface are endless:
Read more: Feel Digital Images in Mid-Air Without Ever Touching Them
The Latest on: Ultrahaptics
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The Latest on: Ultrahaptics
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