Our digital selves often long for a sense of touch. But can touch feel the same in a virtual environment? Scientists have developed ultra-thin second skins that can adapt to your moving body, offering a sense of touch that feels natural. By triggering responses in the brain, haptic stimulations give the feel of a virtual reality world, and even having that world touch you.
When this kind of technology becomes widely adopted, the touch of a distant loved one, or sending a high five whilst gaming may soon be a reality. From synthetic skin to electronic skin, brain-machine interfaces literally wire robotic limbs to a person’s nervous system, and are capable of restoring touch. As the technology of touch evolves, the cyborg becomes all that more human.
Can touch feel the same in a virtual environment?