Making The Virtual PalpableMaking The Virtual Palpable

Scientists at three universities have demonstrated technology that creates the sensation of touch over the Internet. Although still in its infancy, the technology could be a boon for markets as diverse as games and health care.

In the demonstration last week, researchers from the University of Southern California, MIT, and University College London "felt" each other's manipulations of a computer-generated cube displayed on monitors on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Each researcher used a thick stylus to move a small robotic arm hooked up to a computer. Force feedback created the illusion of touching a real cube, including actions taken by the other researchers on the cube. The arm, marketed by SensAble Technologies Inc. as Phantom, was developed by MIT in the early 1990s. To make the transatlantic touch possible, however, researchers had to modify the Phantom software. MIT supplied its expertise in haptic (touch) feedback, and London worked on software development and networking. MIT and London researchers have been toying with this project since May.

Each person in the experiment collaborated to lift the cube, which to him or her felt like hard rubber. The experiment went on for several hours between both USC and MIT and USC and London, a USC spokesman says.

Many hurdles must be resolved before a Miami heart specialist can work on a Seattle patient. Chief among them is the lag between action on a stylus is translated into reaction in the virtual room. Internet traffic bogged down the experiment. Each person had to perform tasks very slowly or the synchronization was lost. When that happens, the box vibrates both visually and to the touch. The researchers also are working to improve the robotic arm and the algorithms that allow users to feel via computer.