A novel concept sees a fluid-filled VR glove replicate the sensation of touch in virtual environments.
Developed by Fluid Reality, a spin-off company based on technology developed at the Future Interfaces
Group at Carnegie Mellon University, uses 160 dynamic haptic feedback actuators to bring the sensation of
high-resolution touch. The system is wireless and lightweight, designed to feel acute sensations such as an
individual violin string while playing.
Inside the glove are fingerpad arrays for each fingertip, with each
array able to imprint tactile images on to the skin like pixels on a screen. The arrays
can display contact, edges, shapes and a variety of textures to virtual objects thanks to fluid-filled
bubbles that fill and stretch the bubble when activated. Each ‘pixel’ operates as a dedicated electrically
controlled pump, directly attracting charge within the fluid to cause it to flow.
The prototype glove
was built using off-the-shelf components, using Raspberry Pi with built-in optical hand tracking and standard Unity integrations.