Ultrasound Can Create Virtual Objects in Mid-Air

Virtual reality environments (and computer generated media in general) are becoming increasingly realistic. Audio and visuals are already frighteningly real, and now, the next one of the five senses to be fooled by simulation is touch.

Japanese scientists have developed a way to use ultrasonic waves to simulate the feeling of touching objects that aren’t physically present. Virtual objects you see on screen can be rendered through waves of ultrasound, making your body think it’s touching something. This technology is in its early stages, so only a limited amount of physical characteristics can be mimicked at this point.

The BBC reports

Sound is a pressure wave, meaning that as the inaudible sound waves from each of the transducers interfere, they can create a focal point that is perceived as a solid object.

The team’s prototype system includes a camera which tracks the position of a user’s hand and shifts the output from the transducers to move the focus around with the hand. The result is a feeling of tracing the edge or surface of the virtual object.

BBC News: “Ultrasound to give feel to games”