Wouldn’t it be nice to have a sense of community everywhere you go? The experts at Simon Fraser University’s Carman Neustaedter lab are making this a reality. We’re constantly brainstorming ways to spend more time together, such as walking hand-in-hand, watching movies, and massaging each other.
“It’s all about feeling connected,” said the researchers. You can feel loved even if you’re thousands of miles apart. The “Flex-N-Feel” gloves, a pair of gloves designed by Neustaedter’s lab, are a linked pair of gloves.
Simply simply flexing one partner’s hand, the other partner, who is also wearing the glove, can feel the other partner’s sensation of touch. Sensors attached to the microcontroller on the glove detect and record the wearer’s movements. Each movement or bend is counted and sent to the glove via WiFi. The sensors are located on the palm and fingers, as well as a soft switch on the side, which aids in detecting touch. Gloves can be used for a wide range of activities, including hugs, hand holding, facial contact, and more.
The Flex-N-Feel gloves are currently in the prototype phase, where they are still being tested for functionality. Gloves allow two people who are separated by distance to communicate by touching each other.
When it comes to long-distance relationships, the gloves have shown that you don’t have to give up touch or physical presence in order to maintain a relationship.
As a result, innovative technical solutions, such as Flex-N-Feel, allow you to be together even if you cannot be physically present.