ETRI accelerates tactile communication with skin-attached telehaptics - EurekAlert

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has developed a telehaptic instrumentality that remotely transmits tactile sensations successful existent clip by attaching it to the fingertip similar a sticker. It is expected to adhd a consciousness of immersion to the metaverse and existent tactile acquisition with world-class show and usability done ultra-miniaturization.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced that it has developed a skin-attached telehaptic exertion that solves the immersion hindrance of existing tactile reproduction devices and provides a much vivid tactile acquisition by intimately contacting the skin.

This exertion was published successful NPJ Flexible Electronics, the world's astir prestigious diary successful the tract of physics engineering.

This exertion uses the unsocial vibration signifier of interaction and texture. Through tactile postulation sensors and tactile reproduction actuators, radical tin consciousness textures virtually without touching objects successful reality.

Following the disclosure of telehaptic exertion successful April of past year, ETRI succeeded successful advancing the exertion into a signifier that tin beryllium adhered to the digit similar a sticker.

It solved the ample measurement and debased show of existing tactile reproduction devices. For a highly immersive idiosyncratic experience, precise tactile and texture reproduction that is bladed capable to beryllium attached to the tegument is essential.

The probe squad utilized a self-developed piezoelectric constituent and an ultra-thin flexible substrate to precisely integrate microscopic sensors and actuators of little than 1mm connected the substrate. The substrate is bladed and bendable with a thickness of 1/20 of a quality hairsbreadth (about 4㎛), truthful it is suitable for attaching to the skin.

The high-resolution composite sensor, which is finely structured astatine 1.8 mm intervals, tin consciousness tactile patterns successful a wide frequence scope of 1 ~ 1,000 hertz (Hz). It demonstrated world-class show by simultaneously measuring some slow-changing unit (static pressure) and fast-changing unit (dynamic pressure).

In particular, this accomplishment tin measurement and reproduce materials specified arsenic cotton, polyester, and spandex, arsenic good arsenic the signifier of convexly protruding missive surfaces and the dynamic feeling of integrative rods rolling connected the fingertips. This is due to the fact that the high-resolution sensor recognizes adjacent minutely antithetic tactile patterns for each location.

The skin-attached telehaptic exertion developed by ETRI tin reproduce tactile sensations successful existent clip astatine a region of up to 15m utilizing Bluetooth communication. In particular, the hold clip erstwhile transmitting the tactile/texture information awesome was lone 1.55 milliseconds (ms), and the acquired and reproduced signals matched astir 97%. This eliminates immoderate awkwardness successful awesome transmission.

The probe squad said this exertion is the effect of integrating ▲ ultra-thin highly flexible substrates ▲ static/dynamic high-resolution composite unit sensors ▲ high-power ultra-small piezoelectric actuators ▲ awesome processing and driving of piezoelectric sensor/actuator ▲ composite tactile/texture information power and wireless connection linkage technology.

Principle Researcher Hye Jin Kim of ETRI's Intelligent Sensors Research Section said, "Through the airy and flexible on-skin tactile reproduction instrumentality that tin beryllium attached to the skin, we person taken a measurement guardant successful preparing a instauration situation for processing highly immersive virtual/augmented world content."

The probe squad said that, successful the future, they program to innovatively beforehand the show and signifier origin of the piezoelectric constituent to make analyzable tactile and texture levels that lucifer world by combining not lone vibration but besides assorted tactile stimuli.

In addition, they program to instrumentality much realistic analyzable sensors and actuators by further upgrading the plan of piezoelectric elements and structures to summation output show and adhd vigor and acold sensations.

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This probe was carried retired with “Development of precocious piezoelectric coefficient composite and ultra-low powerfulness multilayered piezoelectric sensor/actuator multi-functional module technology” of the Ministry of Science and ICT.