Articles tagged with "haptic-technology"
New fabric sends touch cues to help soldiers stay silent in combat
Rice University researchers have developed a novel smart textile platform through the startup Actile Technologies that enables fabrics to communicate information via touch rather than visual or auditory signals. Using fluidic logic—air pressure and flow within the fabric instead of electronics—the textiles generate tactile cues such as squeezes, taps, or temperature changes. This approach enhances durability and adaptability, making the fabric functional in challenging environments where electronics might fail. The technology aims to reduce sensory overload by delivering discreet, immediate haptic feedback, allowing users, particularly soldiers, to keep their eyes and ears focused on their surroundings. Actile’s first application targets military use, providing silent, secure communication through wearable garments that feel like normal uniforms but contain hidden channels and conductive fibers to send tactile signals. This innovation helps soldiers receive commands without relying on visual or auditory cues, addressing the cognitive bottleneck caused by information overload in combat zones. The startup has gained recognition as a finalist in NATO’s DIANA accelerator and a competitor in the U.S. Army’s x
materialssmart-textileshaptic-technologysoft-roboticswearable-technologydefense-technologyfluidic-logicShape-shifting soft robots offer 16 ways to simulate human touch
Engineers at EPFL’s Reconfigurable Robotics Lab have developed "Digits," a modular, shape-shifting soft robotic system that delivers realistic human touch through 16 distinct haptic modes. Powered by compressed air, Digits uses flexible joints and rigid links to change shape and tactile feedback, enabling vibrations, stiffness modulation, and dynamic responses. Two prototypes—TangiGlove, an exoskeleton for the hand, and TangiBall, a handheld module—demonstrate the system’s versatility by morphing into multiple shapes and providing nuanced tactile cues. This approach bridges the gap in haptic realism by combining open-chain and closed-chain robotic configurations, allowing complex interactions such as grasping and pressing that most existing devices cannot replicate. The Digits system is designed for user-friendliness, integrating with the open-source Feelix platform, which employs machine learning to generate intuitive, real-time haptic feedback without requiring users to write code. The pneumatic actuation underlying Digits offers precise control over shape
robotsoft-roboticshaptic-technologyvirtual-realitypneumatic-actuationmodular-robotstactile-feedbackNew haptic tools let humans feel and guide machines in real time
robothaptic-technologyindustrial-automationremote-controldigital-twinsaugmented-realitysafety-in-manufacturing