
The group has been working on the design for more than a decade, and they’ve now produced ten of the strange contraptions, which look something like a computer mouse floating in the center of a miniature inner tube . . . actually, forget the description, just check out the video demo from Carnegie Mellon below. One of the advantages of the maglev technology is that it reduces friction and other interference. So, even though the user is manipulating something in the real, physical world, the device makes it feel as close to virtual as possible. Generally, haptic technology could help in a variety of fields, including medicine, robotics, tele-operation and basic research into understanding the human sense of touch.
Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone with full articles, images and offline viewing
Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed
Share links with friends, comment on stories and more
Inside NASA's astronaut bootcamp and the grueling new training regimen for deep space. Plus, ten young geniuses shaking up science today, one writer's quest to analyze every man-made chemical in her body and more.
Check out the issue's full contents online here