Engineers at the University of Southern California (USC) have created VR gloves and armbands that transmit touch. Equipped with vibration motors that simulate pressure and movement, the system allows you to feel handshakes, hugs, and interactions with virtual objects.
This technology aims to alleviate issues exacerbated in the digital communication age. The system allows you to "connect" up to 16 people, who can communicate simultaneously through 3D avatars that precisely replicate their movements.
Unlike video calls, you can not only talk but also move, touch objects, and feel each other's touch. Tests have shown that this form of communication appears more vivid and emotional for people.
As study co-author Heather Culbertson notes, increased depression and anxiety are linked to a lack of tactile contact, something the new technology could remedy. Scientists are also studying how the speed and type of vibration of gestures affect perception. This technology has applications beyond entertainment: in medicine, for example, it could allow relatives to support patients from a distance.
