Virtual reality has been around for decades, but it's re-emerged as "new" technology in recent years thanks to R&D backed by the deep pockets of Facebook and Sony, among others. However, while the visuals have improved significantly, there are still some big problems VR has to overcome. One of the biggest is being able to feel objects that only exist virtually.

One promising solution is haptic holograms, which use sound waves to allow you to feel objects that don't exist in reality. We first heard about such holograms in 2014, but we're now finally starting to see the technology come to market, with Ultrahaptics as a frontrunner.

While not limited to use with virtual reality, Ultrahaptics's mid-air touchless haptic tech is sure to get a welcome boost through association and the promise of being able to feel the virtual objects at which you're looking. A Touch development kit is set for release in January and takes the form of a plug-and-play pad that can be set up in a matter of minutes.

The pad measures 29 by 18.6 by 22.1cm, has a focal point accuracy of 8.6mm, and can interact with your hands at a minimum height of 50cm above the pad. You're also limited to a 60-degree cone of interaction from the center of the pad upwards. The development kit can be used with Windows 8 and 10 or Mac OSX 10.9 onwards. Ultrahaptics recommends a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a dedicated graphics card to use the Touch at its full potential.

Placing your hands above the pad allows for a range of touch sensations. This is achieved through a combination of hand tracking and a 14-by-14 grid of ultrasound transducers. Invisible buttons, dials, and switches, as well as a range of textures and sensations (for example, bubbles popping against your fingers) can all be simulated. Think of it like a gesture-control system, but where you're actually grabbing objects in mid-air to carry out the gesture.

According to IEEE Spectrum, the Touch dev kit costs $2,000, which may seem high, but is a huge drop from the $20,000 evaluation kit that shipped previously. It also bodes well for an eventual consumer version shipping for significantly less if the same drop happens again. A price of under $200 would make it a very tempting proposition.

Further Reading

Computers & Electronic Reviews