
A team of experts has designed a fingertip device that “allows us to feel the realistic sensation of touch” (one of the most complex sensations in the human body).
It could allow us to ‘hold our loved ones’ hands virtually’.. A revolutionary device that mimics the sense of touch
The Bio-Inspired Touch (BAMH) system works by mimicking the four touch receptors in the human finger, using vibrations at different speeds and strengths across multiple areas.
The research team said the developed technology would pave the way for the creation of a glove that “could enable remote social interaction and the feeling of holding a hand”. For example, someone in London would be able to “hold” the hand of a dying relative in Sydney, so that both could experience the sensation of touch in real time.
The device could also be useful in healthcare settings, experts said, as a diagnostic tool for people who have lost their sense of touch. It could even be used in telehealth, where surgeons could use the device to distinguish between healthy and cancerous tissue.
“Touch is one of the least known of all our senses, due to its complexity,” said Dr Sara Abad, from University College London (UCL). “The skin is one of the largest organs in our body, and it provides several types of information, including the texture of objects. It also tells us what kind of stimulation we are receiving.”
“One area where the device could be used is in social applications, for example, in a pandemic and globalisation, it is very likely that you have family living far away from you. In order to be able to socialise effectively, which is important, we need touch, and video calls do not provide that. The technology developed offers a way to integrate touch into our virtual social interactions,” she added.
The research team, which presented its innovation at the British Science Festival held at the University of East London, hopes to recruit around 10 people with loss of touch for a clinical trial in the next few months.
The feasibility study of the technology has been published in the journal Nature Communications.
Source: Daily Mail - https://ar.rt.com/yajv
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