Microsoft’s TORC will let you feel squeezable objects in AR and VR

Used creatively, haptic feedback can mechanically simulate touch sensations ranging from the shaking of dice to the roughness of paper — now it’s about to take another big step forward. Focusing on potential AR and VR applications, Microsoft researchers today announced TORC, short for Touch Rigid Controller, a small, physically solid device that uses haptics to replicate the elasticity of squeezed objects.

Unlike complex and expensive VR touch gloves, Microsoft says that the palm-sized shell has no visible moving parts, but uses internal touch and force sensors to detect the position of a moving thumb, plus twin actuators that rumble on two other grasping fingers to simulate textures. As the thumb moves to rotate or press on the object, users feel the feedback of motion and resistance, conveying senses of texture and depth.