Haptic radar system has got your back

Researchers in the Department of Information Physics and Computing at the University of Tokyo have developed a wearable haptic radar system designed to provide augmented spatial awareness -- such as the ability to avoid the type of surprise nerf ball attack seen here. It essentially works like a giant set of virtual whiskers, or antennas, providing a tactile sensation to the wearer when an object comes within range -- the closer it gets, the more intense the vibrations. While it still has a long ways to go before you can get your own Luke Skywalker groove on, the researchers see a wide range of potential applications for the technology, from aiding the blind to helping those working in hazardous environments to providing increased awareness to motorcycle and car drivers. The latter implementation would see the entire car covered in sensors -- presumably, without the blindfold. [Warning: PDF link]

[Via Pasta and Vinegar]

[Ubence Quevedo @ Oct 14th 2006 2:25PM]

More like Spider-Man's tingling spider sense...

[Victor (Mister A) @ Oct 14th 2006 3:18PM]

Great can only imagine the use for the military.

[Peter Griffin @ Oct 14th 2006 4:19PM]

Oh my god, it's jackie chan!

[Vesh @ Oct 14th 2006 5:32PM]

Definitely more like the Spider-Sense.

[Ben @ Oct 14th 2006 6:31PM]

Who is this Peter Griffin fellow and why does he keep saying "Oh my god it's jackie chan!" on all of the topics?

[tank @ Oct 14th 2006 7:05PM]

Hepatic? Why would my liver need a radar system?

[trujillo @ Oct 14th 2006 7:20PM]

"are you saying i can dodge bullets?"

[Zhoe Garcia @ Oct 14th 2006 7:45PM]

i knew tony starks was up to something!

*shakes fist*

[Carson Reynolds @ Oct 14th 2006 7:49PM]

Video here:

http://www.k2.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/fusion/HapticRadar/

[StandardAI @ Oct 14th 2006 8:04PM]

It would be cool if they put shockpoints on your neck that would actually make your head move in different directions depending on the shockpoint/nerve, like the electric thingies they use in muscle therapy or those fad-work out things. So you'd actually move a lot faster and without choice

[Bill @ Oct 14th 2006 9:07PM]

Haha, testing must have been fun. FWAP! Oops, sorry, forgot to plug it in. FWAP! Hmmm, need to adjust the sensitivity some here...FWAP! Alright, not sure what went wrong that time, hold on...

:-)

[PETE @ Oct 15th 2006 2:41AM]

experiment is set on multi direction senser to horizontal sides. I just thought it could be made more useful and realistic, say like excluding the viewing angle, sensers could be pointing out to just blind spots, top and behinds, so it has a more practical usage, instead like the simple experiment set shown on video. what if there's a brick falling down directly towards the head ? (without adding speed into consideration) that sensor will never see it coming.

[JuanJohn @ Oct 15th 2006 5:01AM]

LOL at Bill, would lovwe to test it myself hahaha

[Magallanes @ Oct 15th 2006 8:07AM]

Like a Jedi?

[corgilabsG @ Oct 15th 2006 5:19PM]

...no, trujillo, i'm saying that when you're ready, you won't have to...

[Timerider @ Oct 15th 2006 6:32PM]

"trujillo:
"are you saying i can dodge bullets?"

corgilabsG:
...no, trujillo, i'm saying that when you're ready, you won't have to..."

I love that movie.


Sweet, a sixth sense. Build it into a pair of glasses and gimme a time machine so I can go back to fourth grade and give 'em to myself so the dodgeballs wouldn't hit me in the back of the head.

[Linda @ Oct 17th 2006 4:47PM]

FrogPad has completed extensive tests with Haptic integration for Robot control. FrogPad is also the most current solution for a wearable user interface for wearable computing. www.frogpad.com