World's First: Illusion Technique Devised to Convey Softness and Stickiness Without Touch

Q: What are the key facts in this article?

NTT has developed an illusion technique to non-contactually convey softness and stickiness in AR environments. This method eliminates the need for dedicated devices and is expected to be applied in e-commerce and remote communication.

Q: What is the direct answer?

NTT has developed an illusion technique to non-contactually convey softness and stickiness in AR environments. This method eliminates the need for dedicated devices and is expected to be applied in e-commerce and remote communication.

Q: What is the source and date?

Source: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000014.000181531.html | Date: Date unavailable

Key Points of the Announcement: We have devised an illusion technique that can non-contactually present tactile qualities such as softness and stickiness by manipulating how virtual objects deform in augmented reality (AR). This method does not require dedicated devices like controllers or haptic feedback devices, but instead combines hand movements captured by a PC or smartphone camera with display output to create the illusion of texture. This technique contributes to realizing a new communication method for conveying the texture of objects to remote locations using PCs and smartphones. NTT Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Akira Shimada; hereinafter “NTT”) has devised an illusion technique that non-contactually conveys tactile qualities such as softness and stickiness using virtual objects that deform in response to hand movements in an augmented reality environment. This research showed that the spatial deformation range when pressing an object affects the perception of softness, and the length of stretching of an object accompanying finger movement defines the perception of stickiness. Conventionally, devices such as mice or controllers were required, but this method combines hand movements captured by a camera with display output, controlling deformation parameters (spatial deformation range and stretching length) to enable manipulation of virtual objects and presentation of textures. This makes it possible to transmit textures to remote locations without dedicated devices, and its application is expected in e-commerce (*1) and remote communication. Part of these results have been published in IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics [1], and a demo exhibition is planned for the “Communication Science Laboratories Open House 2026” (*) to be held from May 20, 2026. (*) Communication Science Laboratories Open House 2026 https://www.kecl.ntt.co.jp/openhouse/2026/ Figure 1. Overview of discoveries and ripple effects i

World's First: Illusion Technique Devised to Convey Softness and Stickiness Without Touch

AI Summary (NQ-processed)

AI Analysis