The Utah NeuroRobotics Lab was recently awarded awarded a $100,000 grant to continue the development of our wearable haptic feedback device! This is a technology commercialization grant to help advance our prototype into a wearable wrist-worn formfactor like a smartwatch. The technology uses transcutaneous nerve stimulation at the wrist to create haptic sensations on the fingertips. This technology is unique in that it creates a sensation on your hand and fingers without obstructing your hands. This is a step forward beyond existing virtual-reality interfaces (i.e., instrumented gloves or handheld controllers) prohibit simultaneous interactions with physical and digital objects. Our technology also offers an advantage over existing AR interfaces that neglect sensory feedback altogether or require the user to remap digital sensations on the hand to physical sensations felt elsewhere on the body (e.g., a vibrating wristband).
Dr. George thanked his large interdisciplinary team who helped make this grant happen. This includes:
- Abby Citterman and Marta Iversen who helped write the grant.
- Marshall Trout and Chandler Welch who developed and validated the wrist-worn circuitry that will serve as a basis for our smartwatch prototype.
- Abby Harrison and Troy Tully who helped establish and validate the VR application of this technology.
- As well as Kaysen Hansen, Ava Folkman, and Rebecca Urban who have been pushing our scientific knowledge of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at the wrist.