Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) presented HaptGlove, a lightweight haptic glove that allows people to experience touch sensations in the metaverse.
HaptGlove incorporates microfluidic sensing technology, which lets people sense contact when their avatars’ hands touch, grab or manipulate a VR object.
The glove can also simulate the shape and stiffness (soft or hard) of the object that the avatar is touching by restricting the user’s finger positions.
HaptGlove — which was initially conceptualized in 2019 and had its first prototype ready two years later — would improve the digital experience by making users feel as if they were in real life.
Inventions like this will change the way people interact and act in the metaverse and other digital settings.
Many other products are being developed in this regard, with some unveiled at CES 2023. For example, OVR Technology focused on smell, showcasing its ION 3: a wearable device that uses cartridges to deliver smells and synchronizes the scent delivery system with the content users view in VR, AR, or on mobile or desktop devices, allowing them to smell within the metaverse.
