The researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have claimed to develop a technology through which users can touch the images on a screen and feel them by getting a sensation of their texture. The IIT-M scientists have devised a touchscreen display technology enabling a person to feel the textures from photos as the finger moves across the touch surface.
According to the institute, the invention called ‘iTad’ is an interactive touch active display and is the next generation in Touch Display technology. The researchers can create different textures, such as switches, crisp edges, and rich textures ranging from smooth to gritty with the use of this software. A unique level of interaction comes alive on smooth physical surfaces. There are no moving parts in iTad; instead, an in-built multi-touch sensor detects the finger’s movement, and surface friction is adjusted via software. The institute claimed that the software adjusts friction locally when fingers move across a smooth plane by regulating electric fields via a phenomenon known as “electroadhesion,” reported
The invention was led by Professor M Manivannan, CoE on Virtual Reality and Haptics, Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT-M. Merkel Haptics, a start-up brooded at the IIT-M Research Park, has been working with the Touchlab researchers to carry the technology forward.
Highlighting the impact this technology could have on Electronic Appliances, Prof M Manivannan stated, “This is the era of iTad. The technology can take the online shopping experience to the next level. We can touch and feel things before we buy from e-commerce platforms. Around 30 per cent of returns to online shopping are due to the mismatch of user experience, their expectation is different by looking at the images online.” Further, elaborating on the current status of ‘iTad’ and a timeline for hitting the market with possible applications in the real world, Dr PV Padmapriya, CEO of Merkel Haptics, said, “The prototype from the Touchlab can be made into the product in a year’s time. Our aim is to make a small device, similar to a computer mouse, on everyone’s desk to add to the experience. We have been field testing and providing valuable feedback to the researchers at IIT Madras on improving the functionality of the technology.”
