MAGHair Creates Tactile Feedback by Augmenting Body Hair

There are a myriad of different devices that can provide haptic feedback for an increased sense of immersion in AR/VR applications, but MAGHair looks to be one of the more unusual designs we've seen. Engineers from the University of Auckland, New Zealand developed the system as a tactile feedback platform that stimulates body hair as a new angle on sensory immersion, which relies on magnetic locomotion techniques to give the sensation of hair movement.

The MAGHair wearable was created using permanent and electromagnets to move a strong magnetic field to attract and stimulate magnetized hair, which is accomplished by applying cosmetics made from ferromagnetic particles. Ferromagnetic sheets (made of silicone and iron) attract and hold the permanent magnet into position, while a 6-layer PCB with micro-coils control the magnet. A bottom layer houses a neodymium magnet, which attracts the cosmetic-coated body hair, generating haptic stimuli without touching the skin.

MAGHair contains 30 separate micro coils arranged in five rows and six columns, driven by a dsPIC33 microcontroller that produces a PWM signal to control where the permanent magnet is positioned, which is done by changing the duty cycles of different signals. The engineers state their system could have many applications related to touch, including those that offer pleasure, pain, relief, and social touch.

Of course, it would also provide a rich media experience, including a broader sense of immersion in AR/VR applications and music enhancement. The engineers state that MAGHair is still in development and is far from portable, even though it utilizes battery power. That said, it will be interesting to see how the technique progresses before it is released to the market.