A technology has been developed that converts the tactile sensation that a person feels when touching an object into data and shares it with others.
It is expected to be used for passing on the skills of traditional crafts that require delicate work.
Developed jointly by NTT Docomo with Keio University and Nagoya Institute of Technology, this technology can reproduce the feel of a finger when a person touches an object with a dedicated device.
Specifically, a sensor attached to the fingertip measures the slight vibration that the skin feels when it touches an object as a frequency. to reproduce.
By storing textures as data in this system, it is possible to share various textures, such as the delicate fingertip sensations of craftsmen, with others. You can expect it.
In addition, since it is possible to check the texture of clothes, etc., it is expected to be used in online shopping.
Furthermore, in the future, we aim to use communication technology to share sensations in real time with people in remote locations.
Hironori Ishikawa, who was in charge of the development, said, "There are voices saying that this technology can be used for remote medical palpation. I want to make it," he said.
Technology of "human augmentation" Various research
Technology that supplements or enhances human five senses such as sight and hearing and physical abilities is called `` human augmentation '', and various researches are underway, and some technologies have been put into practical use.
Among these, the "Power Assist Suit" can be worn on the body to lift and carry heavy objects with less force, reducing the burden on the body.
When a sensor reads a slight electrical signal sent from the brain to the muscles when the body tries to move, the motor operates to help the person move. It is also used for rehabilitation of people who have been injured.
There is also a technology that "extends" human existence and abilities through robots to make people feel as if they were there, even though they are in a remote location.
A robot that acts as a person's alter ego is equipped with a camera and microphone, and can be operated by a remote person using a computer or smartphone to move and talk.
Even people who cannot go out due to illness or physical disabilities can use these avatar robots to serve customers and respond to customers from a distance.
In the medical field, robots that assist doctors in performing surgeries are also appearing.
Doctors can remotely operate surgical instruments, so if next-generation 6G or other high-speed, high-capacity communication standards with low latency are developed, advanced surgery will be possible even in remote locations such as remote islands in the future. It is expected that it will become possible to receive it and lead to the elimination of regional disparities in medical care.
With the development of robots, sensors, communication, and virtual reality (VR) technology, it is expected that such "human augmentation" technology will be able to be used in even more advanced ways.