The Future of Extended Reality: Improving Immersion and Simulating Touch.

The immense potential of extended reality (XR), a technology that blends augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create immersive digital experiences, has being investigated by researchers supported by the EU. One project, TACTILITY, concentrated on creating a glove that replicates touch in virtual settings. Users can experience the sense of touching virtual items, from clicking a button to experiencing the shape, proportions, and texture of physical objects, by using electrical pulses provided via embedded electrodes. Compared to earlier attempts employing motors, this electro-tactile feedback technology provides a more authentic experience at a lesser cost.

This technology has a plethora of uses. With the tactile glove, patients might digitally interact with their concerns and eventually desensitize themselves to them as part of exposure therapy for phobias in the medical field. Additionally, in dangerous areas like nuclear power plants, where operators may digitally “feel” what the robot is touching and provide additional information for safety inspections, the glove can improve collaboration between people and remotely controlled robots.

WEARTUAL, a different initiative supported by the EU, concentrated on wearable technology for virtual reality, with a focus on enjoyable and entertaining experiences. Users can feel more immersed in virtual reality by including devices worn on the wrist or ankle. An avatar in the virtual world, for instance, might blush when the user is anxious or ecstatic, improving their capacity for expression. The group created a prototype that incorporates real-world information, such pulse rate, to produce a range of physical experiences in the virtual environment.

The future of XR seems bright as technology and human bodies become more intertwined. Beyond entertainment, XR has potential applications in training, education, healthcare, and even fashion. The continued growth of investments in virtual reality, augmented reality, and extended reality points to an exciting future.