A group of researchers have developed technology that allows a remote operator wearing special gloves to "feel" what an avatar robot is touching.
"This feels rough," a researcher said as an avatar robot touched a lace T-shirt during a demonstration of the "Telesar V" robot technology on July 11 in Yokohama.
The technology utilizes pressure, vibration and temperature sensors embedded in the fingers of an avatar robot. The information is conveyed to a remote operator's gloves to reproduce the sense of touch.
Potential applications include responses to disasters at nuclear power plants and other facilities and medical work that involves the use of radiation, according to Susumu Tachi, a project professor of virtual reality at Keio University, and coworkers.
Shoppers could also benefit from the technology by being able to touch and feel goods and items from afar.