In 2008, a research group at the University of Tokyo reported that airborne ultrasound can create haptic sensations on a bare skin. Since then, many universities, companies, and start-ups have attempted to commercialize this concept. However, the haptic stimulations created so far have been limited to weak and specific vibrations.
The HaptoCloud project broadened the variety of haptic sensations that can be created and enabled universal and versatile “tactile reproduction” through ultrasound. The days of “faint and vague” ultrasound haptics are over. This technology can now reproduce realistic haptic sensations with 3D visual objects, creating a more lifelike experience. Moreover, the new technology is widening the workspace and enables “haptics anytime, everywhere.” This is the first step to cloudify haptics.
For more details see the homepage of Shinoda & Makino Lab, The University of Tokyo.