Outfitted with a 3-D tracker and motorized capsules, the CyberTouch Glove was a $15,000 mitt that vibrated as you handled virtual objects onscreen. That was way back in 2000. Today such haptic technology—vibrating actuators and electrical impulses that stimulate your skin receptors and nerve endings—has become both cheaper and increasingly advanced, allowing VR gamers to feel real-world discomfort.
“Any VR engineer aims to make the game indistinguishable from reality,” says Greg Burdea, a haptics researcher at Rutgers University. “By introducing sensorial overload—sound, sight, touch, even pain—you addict the user.” For these players, the more immersive the experience, the greater the thrill. Eventually such technology will evolve beyond your living room to aid in tasks like simulating surgical procedures or training soldiers.
Kelsey McClellan
