Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display creates haptic 3D objects you can poke

the University of Tokyo have come up with a way to use focused ultrasound to create manipulable virtual objects in space. Using multiple transducers, the “Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display” creates an acoustic radiation pressure field. Holding your hand in the field allows you to “feel” the object, manipulate it, and feel response.

 

Right now, the system only creates a vertical field, but you had better bet that Iwamoto is working on that.