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Disney develops tactile-feedback touchscreen tech

October 21, 2013

Disney Research has develped a new tactile-feedback technology meant to give touschscreen displays the ability to make users feel they are actually feeling the objects shown on the screen, according to Mashable.

Using electrovibrations and a newly developed algorithm, researchers at Disney say the technology will allow on-screen images to mimic the feel of real objects by tricking the user's hand with changes in surface friction via vibrations.

"The underlying hypothesis is that when a finger slides on an object, then minute surface variations are sensed by friction-sensitive mechanoreceptors in the skin," according to the Disney Research website. "Thus, modulating the friction forces between the fingertip and the touch surface would create illusion of surface variations. We propose that the perception of a 3D 'bump' is created when local gradients of the virtual bump are mapped to lateral friction forces."

Watch a video posted to YouTube by Disney Research below:

Learn more about touchscreen digital signage.