Stanford researchers introduce a soft, flexible sleeve offering pressure-based touch feedback, redefining virtual reality and communication interfaces.
Wearable technology is evolving with an innovation from Stanford University—a soft, lightweight knitted sleeve named ‘Haptiknit’. This device provides precise, pressure-based tactile feedback, moving beyond traditional vibration-reliant haptic devices. Its potential applications span virtual reality, rehabilitation, and silent communication.
Developed by a team led by professor Allison Okamura, the sleeve offers an alternative to bulky exoskeletons previously required for pressure-based haptics. “It’s much more lightweight, wearable, and comfortable,” Okamura highlighted, emphasising the device’s potential to redefine user interaction with virtual environments. Designed for diverse users such as gamers, healthcare professionals, and individuals needing assistive rehabilitation tools, Haptiknit broadens accessibility to advanced haptic technology.
The Haptiknit features small, inflatable pouches powered by a pneumatic system to simulate touch. These actuators are strategically anchored using a custom-designed knitted fabric. “If you put air into a balloon next to your skin but don’t anchor it, it expands in all directions,” explained Cosima du Pasquier, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study. The innovative knit holds the actuators securely while maintaining comfort and flexibility.
Manufactured with nylon, cotton, and thermoplastic fibres, the sleeve’s unique knitting method ensures a seamless transition between rigid and soft areas. The thermoplastic sections are heat-treated to create the necessary stiffness for actuator support.
In user trials involving 32 participants, the device demonstrated superior performance. Participants could accurately identify touch locations and described the sensations as pleasant and natural. Faster, overlapping actuator movements successfully mimicked stroking sensations, and pressure signals conveyed emotions like happiness and gratitude.
The sleeve’s comfort was notably appreciated by users familiar with other haptic devices. This positive reception underscores its potential for prolonged use in applications such as navigation, military operations, and rehabilitation. Future developments aim to expand the technology, with possibilities of integrating this device into full-body suits for immersive virtual reality experiences. “Whether for communication, entertainment, or physical assistance, this innovation moves wearable haptic devices closer to everyday usability,” Okamura concluded.
