Long-distance couples can now hold hands and even massage each other, using Flex-N-Feel, a new technology developed in Simon Fraser Carman Neustaedter University's laboratory.
The researchers designed a pair of interconnected gloves, the actions being transmitted to a remote partner who also wears a glove. Tactile sensors in the glove allow the user to "feel" movements. To capture these movements, the sensors are attached to a microcontroller. The sensors thus provide a value for each "flexion" and are transmitted via WiFi.
"Users can make intimate gestures such as touching the face, holding hands, and giving a hug," says Neustaedter. "The act of bending or flexing one's finger is a gentle and subtle way to mimic touch."
At the moment, they are in the prototype stage.
