Japanese students waste their time making virtual cat whiskers
They are, in fact, making “artificial, wearable, light-based hairs (or antennae)”.
The idea is that little infra-red sensors constantly scan the environment – those are your virtual antennae – with miniature vibration feedback motors placed against the skin so you’re able to feel a little tingle when the sensors find an approaching object.
And, after reading the article properly, it looks like they’re not wasting their time at all – possible future uses include a 3D vision system for the blind, or attaching it to cars and giving drivers extra feedback when some idiot pizza delivery moped rider is about to spread himself – and 26 Cavendish Road’s 16″ mexican hot – all over your bonnet.
More information, and some rather unfortunate videos of it in action, can be found over here on the project’s English home page.
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