Imitation of senses and feedback from virtual reality environments always meant a
great problem. Realization of two (sight and hearing) out of the five human senses
is indispensable. Simulation of these two senses is not complex issue; on the contrary
the other three are quite challenging. This paper describes the development of a vibro-tactile
glove which can provide sensory feedback from a virtual environment, either as a stand
alone system but most important in combination with sight and audio feedback systems.
Instead of implementing real force feedback, the focus is on tactile sensing, as an
alternative way of achieving the same feedback. The glove contains six vibration motors
on different locations on the hand. These locations include all five fingers, and
the palm. Communication with the glove is wireless, enabling free movement for the
user. The system is low cost and very small sized which allows for combining it with
advanced input devices like a motion capturing suit.
