Technology enables transferability of human emotion to your palms

Scientists have shown how technology can enable transfer of human emotion to the palm of your hand through air.

Lecturer and scientist Dr Marianna Obrist at University of Sussex, has pinpointed how next-generation technologies can stimulate different areas of the hand to convey feelings of, for example, happiness, sadness, excitement or fear. The findings provide "huge potential" for new innovations in human communication.

Dr Obrist explained "Imagine a couple that has just had a fight before going to work. While she is in a meeting she receives a gentle sensation transmitted through her bracelet on the right part of her hand moving into the middle of the palm. That sensation comforts her and indicates that her partner is not angry anymore. These sensations were generated in our experiment using the Ultrahaptics system."

Dr Obrist has been awarded 1 million pounds by the European Research Council for a five-year project to expand the research into taste and smell, as well as touch.

The SenseX project will aim to provide a multi-sensory framework for inventors and innovators to design richer technological experiences.

The findings will be presented at the CHI 2015 Conference in South Korea.