hong kong scientists create electronic skin that transmits touch over the internet
supriyatunk
In a remarkable leap toward bridging the physical and digital worlds, scientists in Hong Kong have developed a soft electronic skin capable of transmitting real touch sensations through the internet, potentially allowing people to hug or shake hands from miles away.
Engineers at the City University of Hong Kong have designed this flexible “e-skin” using tiny magnetic coils that can both sense pressure and send signals wirelessly. When one e-skin patch is touched or pressed, another patch located elsewhere reproduces the same sensation instantly, creating a seamless, real-time tactile feedback system.
Dubbed “Touch IoT” (Internet of Touch), this breakthrough represents a major step forward in how humans might interact remotely in the future. By turning digital signals into physical sensations, this innovation opens doors to more immersive virtual experiences and deeply emotional human connections across distances.
Researchers envision that future iterations of the e-skin could simulate warmth, texture, and complex sensations, making it useful in a range of applications from virtual reality and online communication to telemedicine and long-distance caregiving.
This fusion of engineering, neuroscience, and connectivity could redefine the boundaries of human interaction, bringing emotional depth to digital touch and making remote presence feel more real than ever before.
