Northwestern University engineers have developed a new compact, wireless haptic device that creates precise movements to mimic complex sensations on the skin, including vibrations, stretching, pressure, sliding, and twisting. Unlike most haptic technologies, which are limited to simple vibrations, this device has full freedom of motion. This allows it to move and apply forces in all directions along the skin to engage all mechanoreceptors.
Within the device, the small actuator uses a tiny magnet and a set of wire coils to generate magnetic fields that produce forces strong enough to move, push, pull or twist the magnet. These can be combined into arrays to reproduce feelings like pinching and squeezing. The device also includes an accelerometer to track movement and orientation, enabling context-based haptic feedback useful for applications like feeling textures on flat screens.
Researchers envision this technology helping many different individuals. Along with enhancing virtual experiences, such as reproducing textures for online shopping, it could also help visually impaired individuals, allow hearing-impaired people to “feel” music, and provide tactile feedback for remote healthcare.
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