ETRI Develops Telehaptic Sensor Stickers for the Metaverse

ETRI (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) engineers have developed a telehaptic device that remotely transmits haptic feedback in real-time using stickers attached to fingers. It was designed to provide increased immersion for AR and VR applications in the metaverse by allowing users to feel objects remotely. The team states the technology can remotely provide the feeling and texture of metal, plastic and rubber at a range of up to 15 meters.

The engineers used a piezoelectric element and an ultra-thin flexible substrate to integrate microscopic sensors and actuators of less than 1mm on the substrate. The substrate itself is thin and pliable and has a thickness of 1/20 of a human hair, making it ideal for attaching to the skin. The piezoelectric element can detect the movement of the skin and convert it into electrical energy. This electrical energy is then used to activate an actuator, which can then be used to stimulate the skin for various purposes, such as providing tactile feedback or controlling the movement of the skin.

The high-resolution sensor is structured at 1.8 mm intervals and can feel tactile patterns in a wide frequency range of 1 to 1,000 Hz. The engineers gauged the sensor’s performance by simultaneously monitoring both slow-changing pressure and fast-changing pressure. This enables the sensor to measure and reproduce materials such as cotton, polyester and even spandex, along with the shape of convexly protruding letter surfaces and the dynamic feeling of plastic rods rolling on the fingertips. The team plans to advance the performance and form factor of the piezoelectric element to create complex tactile and texture levels that match those in real life by combining vibration and various tactile stimuli.