Nov 21, 2019 11:35:00

A sheet-like device that conveys 'feel' is developed

Research teams such as

Northwestern University have announced a sheet-like device that is attached to the skin to convey the “feel”. The research team states that this device gives virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) a “immersion that has never been experienced before”.

Skin-integrated wireless haptic interfaces for virtual and augmented reality | Nature
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1687-0

'Epidermal VR' gives technology a human touch-Northwestern Now
https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2019/11/epidermal-vr-gives-technology-a-human-touch/

New tech gives VR a human touch-YouTube


Wearable skin could make virtual reality games unbelievably immersive | Inverse
https://www.inverse.com/article/60980-wearable-skin-could-make-virtual-reality-games-unbelievably-immersive

This device is a sheet-like device with many thin layers. The layer that comes into contact with the skin is an elastic rubber-like polymer layer that fits the curved surface of human skin. Next to the layer that comes into contact with the skin is an electronic device and a silicon layer that fixes the electronic device. Next to the silicon layer is a breathable fabric layer. This fabric layer covers the electronics and plays a role in protecting the electronics from impact.

The layer that actually gives tactile sensation is made of

polyimide containing a small amount of copper, and a thin and elastic actuator is arranged. This actuator vibrates with a radio signal and transmits a “tactile sense”.

The actuator is driven by

near field communication (NFC), which is also used in non-contact IC cards such as Felica, which can be powered wirelessly and does not incorporate a battery in the device itself.

The research team has already created a prototype of a sheet-like device with a size of 15cm x 15cm. I connected the touch screen interface to the sheet-like device, traced the touch screen and sent the shape pattern `` X '', and confirmed that the stimulus of the shape of `` X '' was transmitted in synchronization with the finger tracing the touch screen That. The actual prototype is below.

When you bend, you can see the presence of the actuator inside.

In addition to the usages such as “VR game that conveys tactile sensation when touching the screen and the other party touching the screen,” “Tactile sensation is transmitted to this side.” The research team has devised a usage such as ” People with prosthetic limbs have the problem that “the power put in the prosthetic limbs is not known and it is difficult to adjust the power”. If this device can sense the pressure applied to the prosthesis at other parts, it will be easier to adjust the force.

The research team is not only working on making sheet-like devices thinner and lighter, but also plans to work on transmitting “heat” in addition to touch.