VoxeLite Is a Bandage-Thin Patch That Adds Textures to Screens - Yanko Design

"VoxeLite is a transparent, stretchy patch that wraps around your fingertip like a thin adhesive strip. It's only a tenth of a millimeter thick and weighs less than a paperclip, but it hides a grid of tiny soft domes that can be turned on and off individually. When you slide your finger across a surface, those domes add patterns of force that feel like bumps, ripples, or directional cues layered over whatever you're touching."

"The experience works through tiny grabs and releases. As you move your finger, some of the domes gently stick and drag against the surface beneath them, creating little taps or tugs on your skin. Because there are many of them packed closely together and they can switch very fast, the system can draw small icons, arrows, or textures directly on your fingertip. That opens the door to touch-based notifications, tactile emojis, or invisible guides on flat glass."

"One of the most important design choices is that VoxeLite is meant to disappear when it's not active. The soft domes compress and move with your skin, so you can still feel the real texture of a fabric, a button, or a tool handle through the patch. In tests, people could tell rough from smooth materials while wearing it, which is crucial if you want a wearable that stays on during everyday tasks."

VoxeLite is a transparent, stretchy fingertip patch about a tenth of a millimeter thick that contains a grid of tiny soft domes which can be activated individually. The domes produce patterns of force that feel like bumps, ripples, or directional cues when sliding across a surface. The mechanism uses brief sticks and releases to create taps and tugs, enabling rendering of small icons, arrows, or textures on the fingertip. The patch compresses with the skin so underlying textures remain perceivable, allowing users to distinguish rough and smooth materials while wearing it. Applications include touch-based notifications, tactile emojis, invisible guides, and distinct virtual controls on glass or in AR/VR.

Read at Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News