Leading Dutch XR startup, SenseGlove, recently introduced the world to its brand-new set of haptic feedback gloves. The gloves, titled “SenseGlove Nova” are specially made to support employees engaging in VR training sessions, with stretchable and comfortable materials that enable incredible hand-tracking functionality.
The unique SenseGlove Nova experience promises to help users feel more textures, shapes, impact, and resistance when they’re training in VR. The touch-enabling technology has the potential to transform the way that people learn in VR programs.
How Does it Work?
According to SenseGlove, the Nova haptic gloves are designed according to the human tendon system, emulating the feeling of an object’s size, shape, and density through the application of resistance in magnetic friction brakes. There are four brakes in total for four fingers (from the thumb to the ring finger) and each can deliver up to 20 Newtons of force.
Each finger can deliver experiences equal to around 2kg of weight, allowing for amazing haptic feedback, unlike anything the VR world has seen before.
Although haptic technology has been around for a while now, with Fujitsu Labs introducing their haptic tablet in 2014, and Apple filing patents in 2018 for a VR glove, this is the most advanced product we’ve seen today. The CEO of SenseGlove, Gijs den Butter said that the gloves are designed specifically for VR training sessions, allowing people to feel and experience digital worlds like never before.
The SenseGlove can intelligently process different amounts of force and feed that sensation into the hand at just the right space, thanks to the use of mechanical wires. This means that companies can quickly upgrade training experiences with simulations of how a variety of objects might feel. You can sense the weight of a brick just as easily as the fragile shape of a lightbulb.
The Next Level of VR
The SenseGlove team has been working on the ultimate haptic feedback experience for a while, but the company notes that the arrival of COVID-19 accelerated their mission. The pandemic has driven a massive increase in the number of companies looking to invest in VR training.
Even Ford, the motor company, has started to use VR to help designers manage vehicle inspections from the comfort of their own home. Volkswagen is also collaborating with SenseGlove to enable VR training in Germany.
The previous version of the SenseGlove (DK1), was already an exciting addition to the VR space, earning the attention of more than 100 institutions and companies, including Hondo, and Airbus. Now, SenseGlove believes it can deliver an even better experience to companies that need help with production of new products, training, and other touch-related activities from home. The SenseGlove technology could transform the way that we learn like never before.
