Some researchers think more advanced, wearable versions of such interfaces will become a vital part of making virtual and augmented reality experiences feel like they are actually happening. A common example is video game controllers that vibrate when the player’s avatar takes a hit. The new patch is a type of haptic device, a technology that remotely conveys tactile signals. In response, a wireless patch on the child’s back vibrates in a pattern that matches his mother’s fingers, allowing him to “feel” her physical touch.
A woman sits at a computer, video chatting with her young son while she gently pats an interface on a separate screen.
