Haptic Touch Glove

The Haptic Touch Glove was born in NASA's Mission Simulation Laboratory in early August of 2003. Based on SMA (shape memory alloy) technology, the glove is the first of its kind, allowing users to touch, feel, and hold objects that do not exist in real life. This is accomplished by interfacing to a computer simulation experienced via monitor or virtual reality headset. When a use grasps an object with the glove, the fingers of the user will "stop" around that object as they see it in the simulation. The force applied to the fingers as a measure of weight is nearly 10 lbs per finger. This glove introduces the novel concepts of using SMAs to miniaturize the breaking system to the back of the hand, making the unit wirelessly operated and powered with no additional hardware required on the user.

Additional research and development was aided by members of the Haptrix team in the fall of 2003. All intellectual property was developed on "off time" away from the university's resources in order to keep the glove privately owned.

The glove concepts are currently patent pending (2003).