covering the week's top textbooks like
Linux bias a new lightweight virtual
reality device has been created that
would allow users to touch objects add
shops and museums without ever having to
go there in the flesh
the limits of virtual reality have been
stretched in the last five years the
technology has become the medium of
choice for game developers artists and
actors alike seeing a real boom in
projects that bring us alternate
realities during enforced social
isolation through immersive audio and
visual landscapes the ability to visit
mind-blowing locations real or not is on
the brink of becoming an affordable
option for many nowadays what you see
and hear in virtual reality is not so
dissimilar from actually visiting these
places however up until now the
experience did not give us the ability
to physically interact with surrounding
environments Chris Harrison assistant
professor at Carnegie Mellon's
University human-computer interaction
Institute says elements such as walls
furniture and virtual characters are key
to building immersive immersive virtual
worlds and yet contemporary VR systems
do little more than vibrate hand
controllers a team at the Pennsylvania
University has created a new device that
uses haptic feedback a technology which
stimulates the sensation of touch to
make the virtual experience seem more
real where other devices might use a
series of expensive power-hungry motors
to give the sensation of touch their
design uses a simpler mechanical
solution from a shoulder-mounted system
a string is attached to each finger
giving resistance based on what the user
should be feeling a spring-loaded
mechanism is combined with an electric
latch but stops the hand removing
further as it makes contact with heavy
objects in the virtual world
Kathy Fang co-author of the study says I
think the experience creates surprises
such as when you interact with a railing
and can wrap your fingers around it Fang
said the system would be suitable for VR
games and experiences that involve
interacting the physical obstacles and
objects such as a maze it might also be
used for visits to virtual museums and
at a time when physically visiting
retail stores is not always possible
says you might also use it to shop in a
furniture store while there research
shows that this method provides a much
more realistic sense of touch the team
says that a mass-produced version when
route when ready could be available to
the public for less than $50