Revolutionary device mimics human touch, transforming virtual interactions

British scientists have developed a device that emulates the experience of shaking hands with another person. This will help avert the initial contact that can be awkward for some. However, the aim of this invention is not so much to replace people as to assist them.

Scientists from the United Kingdom claim that their device can successfully replicate human touch. The prototype, which is fingertip-mounted, transmits impulses to a person, stimulating the nerves responsible for the sensation of touch.

The person who has the device on their finger experiences the sensation of touch. They feel like they are touching a human, even though they are not actually doing so. This is expected to help people who have lost sensation in their hands in the future.

This is not the first such idea. The EU's Horizon 2020 programme allowed the implementation of the TouchlessAI project. Its main component is a particular console that generates haptic (touch) sensations, thus helping to simulate contact with objects and people.

Thanks to such solutions, unique platforms could, for instance, allow customers to check the texture of a fabric or material of a specific garment or other item. Artificially generated touch stimuli will also undoubtedly find applications in virtual reality, where they could be an excellent complement to the experiences currently provided by VR technology.