Ultrahaptics Lets You 'Feel' Virtual Objects

Virtual reality (VR) has been around for decades, but it's re-emerged as 'new technology' in recent years thanks to research work that is backed with the deep pockets of Facebook and Sony, among others.
However, while the visuals have improved significantly, there are still some big problems VR has to overcome. One of the biggest is being able to feel objects that only exist virtually.

One promising solution is haptic holograms, a concept that use sound waves to allow you to feel objects that don't exist in reality. Such ideas first came about in 2014, but the world is only now starting to see the technology come to market, with Ultrahaptics as a front-runner.

While not limited to use with VR, Ultrahaptics's mid-air touch-less haptic tech is sure to get a welcome boost through association and the promise of being able to feel the virtual objects at that users are looking. A Ultrahaptic Touch development kit is set for release in January next year and takes the form of a plug-and-play pad that can be set up in a matter of minutes.

The control system measures 29 x 18.6 x 22.1cm, has a focal point accuracy of 8.6mm and can interact with your hands at a minimum height of 50cm above the pad.



Users are also limited to a 60-degree cone of interaction from the center of the pad upwards. The development kit can be used with Windows 8 and 10 or Mac OSX 10.9 onwards. Ultrahaptics recommended an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, and a dedicated graphics card as the specs to use if its Ultrahaptic Touch is to reach its full potential.

Ultrahaptics TOUCH pad in action
Placing your hands above the pad allows for a range of touch sensations. This is achieved through a combination of hand tracking and a 14-by-14 grid of ultrasound transducers. Invisible buttons, dials, and switches, as well as a range of textures and sensations, like bubbles popping against fingers, can all be simulated. Think of it like a gesture-control system, but being able to literally grab objects in mid-air to carry out the gesture.

According to IEEE Spectrum, the Ultrahaptic Touch dev kit costs around US$2,000. While it may seem high, it is a huge drop from the US$20,000 evaluation kit that shipped previously. It also bodes well for an eventual consumer version shipping for significantly less if the same drop happens again. A price of under US$200 would make it a very tempting proposition.