The latest project being developed by the Disney Research team is 'AIREAL,' a technology that is designed to help people feel virtual textures and objects.
'AIREAL' uses hardware and software to "create tiny air vortexes in 3D space," creating the sensation of touching a surface without physically coming into contact with it. The device is not worn by users, but it interacts with users by pumping out rings of air capable of maintaining their shape and speed through the air. Once reaching a user's skin, the vortexes collapse and exert a force that is felt on the skin.
It is a low-cost, 3D-printed technology that has huge implications for the future of video games and computer-augmented environments.
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