This neural haptic glove lets you feel things that aren’t there

Afference, a company founded by neuroscientists, won the Innovation Award for their groundbreaking device that creates artificial touch sensations. Imagine being able to feel the texture of a virtual object, the weight of a digital tool, or the warmth of a virtual hug. Sounds like science fiction, right? Well, not anymore.

Meet Phantom, the neural haptic device that enables the feeling of touch in the spatial computing age. Phantom is a product of Afference, a company founded by neural engineers who have translated decades of research in neural interfaces into the spatial computing age. Phantom provides haptic feedback at finger-level granularity by interfacing directly with the nervous system.

The self-aligning rings provide a transparent interface, allowing seamless transitions between the digital and physical worlds. The wrist-worn electronics provide a mobile and wireless interface to any spatial computing headset, glasses, or mobile device. The team had a chance to interact with Jacob Segil, CEO and co-founder of Afference, at CES 2024.

Here’s what he had to say about this innovative technology and how it won the best CES 2024 Innovation Award among XR Technologies & Accessories. : Can you tell us what this technology is about and how it went on to win the best CES 2024 Innovation Award? : I’m Jacob, co-founder and CEO of Afference; we’re neuroscientists who know how to create artificial touch. So we’re using Phantom, which is our first product.

This neural haptic device allows you to feel things that aren’t there. We’re using neural stimulation to create artificial sensations in your fingers. We are pairing it with three-dimensional content like in a virtual reality headset or augmented reality experience.

This enables digital dexterity, which means you can be as dexterous in the digital realm as you are physically. To answer your second question, the judges, who I don’t know, I would imagine that we won this award because they’d never seen it before. And nor has the rest of the world.

I’ve only understood or studied these techniques in neurorehabilitation. We’re the first company to bring it to a wearable form factor for a consumer electronic device. : What is it like to keep a long-distance relationship working? (humorously) It’s about imagining a future without using these two-dimensional screens anymore.

When there’s three-dimensional content around us, but you can’t feel anything anymore. You’re touching air. : What are some of the applications and does it help people who are differently abled? : Our work and inventions have come out of the prosthetic space.

So my co-founder and I, Justin Tyler, were neuroscientists who worked on developing prosthetic limbs for people who could feel what the world was about, even though they didn’t have their own hands. So, we took that understanding of those inventions and patents and created a Difference. : How long did it take you to create Phantom and when is it going to be in the market? : We’re one year old as a company.

We’ve been studying this technology for decades, 30 years. We started the company a year ago, and we were here with backpacks, you know, wandering around looking at the world of spatial computing. One year later, we won the Best of Innovation Award.

Today, we’re working with enterprise clients on development projects. We’re imagining consumer electronics coming in the years ahead. The first form factor will be this five-finger wearable, probably Phantom.

Then, we envision wrist-worn devices like your smartwatch and ring-based devices so you can experience those haptic interactions. : How far do you see it going? : Good question. We envision an age when your glasses show you the digital content you care about.

That means the text message shows up here. That means the calendar you know that you need to know where you’re going next at CES. It’ll be displayed in three-dimensional space.

But then, if you want to manipulate it, you want to click, swipe, grab. We will give you the wearable so that you can tell when you achieve the task. : Is there anything else you want to tell us? : We’re right at an early stage, high-growth startup.

Right. So we’re one year in looking to grow our team, our partnerships, and our funding. And so we’re running as fast as we can to provide these technologies to the world at large.

Phantom can revolutionize spatial computing by enabling a more immersive and realistic experience. Imagine being able to feel the shape, size, texture, and temperature of any virtual object. You could manipulate digital models, play games, learn new skills, or create art with your hands.

You could also interact with other people in a more natural and expressive way. You could feel their handshakes, high-fives, or hugs. Phantom can also have a positive impact on other domains, such as education, health, entertainment, and social.

For example, Phantom can help students learn better by engaging multiple senses. It can also help people who are paralyzed or differently abled to regain some of their lost sensations and functions. It can also enhance the enjoyment and creativity of entertainment and social media users.

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