Haptic technology has exponentially developed over the last years, vastly improving the precision and realism of feedback. Its applications have made a real impact with hundreds of companies and enterprises integrating haptics to enhance training and research simulations.
While haptics are mostly used on a B2B level, haptics could potentially revolutionise our lives, particularly through Virtual Reality (VR) experiences. Haptic gloves, vests, and bodysuits equipped with actuators and sensors can simulate the sensation of touching virtual objects, enhancing immersion and realism.
Here are 8 ways haptics could significantly impact our lives within the next 5 years:
1. Training and Skill Development in Various Industries: From manufacturing to construction, haptic feedback can enhance training programs by simulating real-world scenarios and providing tactile guidance to learn new skills. Haptics increases muscle memory, allowing trainees to directly transition from virtual training programs to real-world scenarios. Here‘s how Volkswagen is using haptics in their training programs.
2. Medical Training and Simulation: Haptic feedback systems can replicate the sensation of resistance and pulsation, providing medical students and professionals with a more realistic simulation environment. This technology allows trainees to practice delicate procedures, accelerating the learning curve and improving patient safety. Veyond Metaverse and the University of Western Ontario use haptics in surgery training.
3. Remote Work and Accessibility: Haptic technology plays a crucial role in enhancing remote work. By providing tactile feedback, haptics allows operators to perform intricate tasks with precision and control from a safe distance, particularly in fields like robotics. Read here how Extend Robotics are using haptic technology in their projects.
4. Remote Collaboration and Communication: Haptic technology could facilitate more immersive remote collaboration by allowing users to physically feel the presence and actions of others in virtual meetings and shared environments. For example, it would allow doctors to deliver their expertise and care to patients in remote areas or during emergencies. Veyond Metaverse is already using the benefits of haptics in their collaborative VR training.
5. Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy: Haptic feedback devices can offer support in rehabilitation programs by providing real-time feedback and guidance to patients during exercises, helping them regain strength, mobility, and coordination. Have a look at how Erasmus MC is using haptics to support people with brain damage.
6. Sports Training and Performance: Haptic feedback wearables can provide athletes with real-time biomechanical feedback during training sessions, helping them optimise their movements and prevent injuries. For example, haptic sensors can detect subtle shifts in body position or technique, and deliver gentle vibrations to guide athletes towards more efficient and safer movements. This improves their overall performance in sports.
7. Art and Creativity: Haptics could enable artists and designers to create digital artwork or sculptures with the tactile sensation of manipulating physical materials, like clay, paint, or wood. This could expand creative possibilities and bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and digital media.
8. Gaming and Entertainment: Haptic feedback in gaming controllers, VR gloves, and suits can enhance gaming experiences by providing tactile feedback corresponding to in-game events, adding a new dimension of immersion and realism.
Conclusion
These are just a few examples of how haptics could transform various industries and aspects of our lives in the next five years. The continued development and adoption of haptic technology promises to create a future where digital and physical experiences are more interconnected than ever before, driving innovation and improving quality of life across multiple areas.