Advancements in Virtual Reality let its users do many things in a virtual environment. However, one aspect that has been difficult to replicate is the sense of touch. That may be about to change with the development of the Haptic Metaverse Glove by Japanese start-up AI Silk Corporation. AI Silk, a Tokyo-based wearable-tech startup, is set to unveil a new haptic glove at CES 2023 which approaches both haptic feedback and finger-tracking in a different way altogether.

Called Lead Skin, the controller houses these conductive fibers, which not only provide finger-tracking and control buttons on the back of the gauntlet-style controller, but also an electrical haptic pulse that aims to simulate manipulating virtual objects.

Made from AI Silk’s proprietary conductive fiber, LEAD SKIN®, Haptic Metaverse Glove powered by LEAD SKIN features built-in finger-bending sensors, as well as control buttons on the back of the wearer’s hand, all of which are also made of the same conductive fiber. Providing wearers tactile feedback when they “touch” Metaverse objects, the ultra-lightweight glove enables users to enjoy a truly immersive Metaverse experience without having to hold a bulky remote control, reports Heraus.

“Our Haptic Metaverse Glove powered by LEAD SKIN is a game-changer for Metaverse exploration because it enables players to move around and manipulate AR objects freely and intuitively, just as you would in the physical world,” said AI Silk CEO Hideo Okano. “What makes this possible is LEAD SKIN, our proprietary and patented conductive fiber that has the potential for a wide range of uses beyond AR games. We are very excited to launch our new product and introduce this innovative technology at CES 2023.”

One of the major advantages of the Haptic Metaverse Glove is its lightweight and comfortable design. It weighs only 380g (~13.5oz), or about the weight of two Quest 2 controllers with batteries included. Lead Skin is said to measure the current impedance from the expansion and contraction of the fabric within, and then through deep machine learning-developed algorithms “understand the intended actions from glove wearers’ physical finger movements,” AI Silk says in a press statement.

AI Silk Corporation’s Haptic Metaverse Glove could be a game-changer for virtual reality, bringing the sense of touch to the forefront of the technology.