Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

'Smart Fingertips' Pave Way For Virtual Sensations

Posted by samzenpus on from the let-your-fingers-do-the-virtual-walking dept.

sciencehabit writes "Imagine feeling like you're lifting a 50-kilogram weight just by pulling at thin air. That's just one of the possible applications of new 'smart fingertips' created by a team of nanoengineers. The electronic fingers mold to the shape of the hand, and so far the researchers have shown that they can transmit electric signals to the skin. The team hopes to one day incorporate the devices into a smart glove that creates virtual sensations, fooling the brain into feeling everything from texture to temperature."

15 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. pr0n by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You were thinking it. Get it out of the way first.

    1. Re:pr0n by flyneye · · Score: 3, Insightful

      O.K. I'll be the one to say it. The tip we are interested in virtualizing is NOT a finger.
      This could be a disease free replacement for prostitution. You could virtualize any number of kinky situations.
      We all KNOW what these nano scientists had in mind hehehehehehe...

      --
      *Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
    2. Re:pr0n by Walterk · · Score: 2

      Aight, I put on my robe and wizard hat..

      --

      "If anyone needs me, I'm in the angry dome."
  2. ummmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Tactile sensation =/= resistance... It's not going to feel like your lifting anything...

    1. Re:ummmmm by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

      50kg is a lot to pick up *period* for the average noodle-armed nerd.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    2. Re:ummmmm by somersault · · Score: 4, Funny

      Since the demise of the CRT, I suppose that's true..

      --
      which is totally what she said
  3. Re:Nintendo by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 3, Funny

    I take it you never had a power glove...

  4. Re:STFW by f3rret · · Score: 2

    Sorry guys, I didn't rtfa, but doesn't our current hand have the ability to feel temps and textures?

    Nope.

    --
    Admit nothing. Deny Everything. Make Counter-accusations.
  5. isn't this a fairly old idea? by Trepidity · · Score: 2

    I suppose this one is more miniaturized, but "virtual reality" and "haptics" people have been trying this sort of thing for a while, without having yet really come up with a compelling win. Here is a 1995 Popular Science article about a device that takes basically the same approach to characterizing what constitutes texture perceived by fingertips (by simulating sliding/bumpiness/resistance/stickiness). Available for only $20,000! And a 1996 textbook devoted large sections to the topic as well.

    --
    10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
  6. Nanoengineers! by fearofcarpet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Wow, those are some tiny engineers! I wonder what they eat?

    --
    Actually, I wrote my thesis on life experience.
    1. Re:Nanoengineers! by VortexCortex · · Score: 2

      HUGE BUDGETS!

  7. Nano, eh? by T+Murphy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    a team of nanoengineers

    I think the politically correct term would be "vertically challenged engineers".

    --
    My webcomic
    1. Re:Nano, eh? by camperdave · · Score: 2

      a team of nanoengineers

      I think the politically correct term would be "vertically challenged engineers".

      When, oh when, will we be able to live in a world where the "nano-ness" of an engineer is no longer noteworthy? Do you really want to live in a world where it is okay to deride someone with comments like "From small minds come small ideas", or "She uses CGS because MKS is too big for her", or "Why are you crying? Got a Planck in your eye?", and the like? Think of the wee children.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  8. only needed to read the title by gsgriffin · · Score: 2

    To know exactly where the comments on this post were going to start...and probably finish...with a bang

    --
    jsut athnoer menagiensls ltitle psrhae for you to dcoede. Why do we wtsae our tmie dnoig tihs?
  9. "What happened to your hand?" "Hackers." by Havenwar · · Score: 3, Funny

    A glove that makes me feel sensations is great and all, but I do hope it comes with some pretty heavy security limitations and so on... Wouldn't want some hacker to get access to my machine and burn my hand, or shock it, or even just cause extremely unpleasant sensations to it as a form of blackmail or just for kicks. Sure, "just take it off"... not so easy if both your hands are spasming because you feel they are stuck into a fire or something.