already available Experimental “telehaptic” systems that allow humans to send and receive tactile sensations tend to be rather cumbersome and awkward. Thanks to the use of piezoelectric materials, the new one is much thinner and therefore more practical.

The system, created by scientists at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute of South Korea (ETRI), has a device that attaches to the user’s dominant hand. In a typical usage scenario, one such device feel is worn by the sender and the other by the receiver.

Currently, the prototype wearable device is in the form of a small electronic board placed on the back of the palm, tightly connected to a thin, flexible piezoelectric element that is attached to the pad of the index finger in the form of a sticker. . This element is thicker than 1 mm.

Piezoelectric materials generate an electric current when subjected to mechanical stress or vibration. This quality is useful for the sender (no puns) – when they move an item-covered fingertip across the textured surface, the resulting tiny vibrations are converted into electrical signals that are transmitted wirelessly to the receiver.

Then another quality of piezoelectric material comes into play. Not only do they produce electricity when they vibrate, they also vibrate under the influence of an electric current. This means that when the receiving device receives the transmitted signal, the fingertip vibrates, copying the sensation experienced by the sender.

In testing so far, the system has been able to detect and reproduce the feel of surfaces such as cotton, polyester, spandex and embossed lettering, as well as plastic sticks that spin at the fingertips. Signals were sent up to 15 m (49 ft) via Bluetooth with a latency of just 1.55 milliseconds – received signals matched approximately 97% of what was transmitted.

There are now plans to improve the technology, which may include improving touch resolution and allowing it to detect and reproduce warm and cold sensations.

“With a light and flexible skin-based tactile device that can be worn on the skin, we have taken a step forward in preparing the foundational environment for highly immersive virtual/augmented reality content development,” said lead researcher Hye Jin Kim.