Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have developed a soft, wearable patch described as “e-skin” that can both sense touch and transmit that sensation wirelessly to someone else, making a real-life hug over the internet possible. The device uses a 4 × 4 grid of tiny magnetic coils which detect a tap and send a vibration signal via Bluetooth to another patch elsewhere — a twist on the Internet of Things called “Touch IoT.” Supercar Blondie
Potential uses for this tech range from virtual high-fives between friends far apart, to remote medical support where a doctor could feel what a patient touches through the device. While it currently delivers only vibration and not full warmth or pressure, the team say this is a stepping-stone toward deeper human-tech-touch experiences in VR, gaming and tele-presence. cityu.edu.hk
