FeelFields: Volumetric Touch for Sentient Haptic Interaction in True-3D Displays

Objective

The aim of FeelFields is to create the first co-registered volumetric haptic display that allows users not only to see holographic 3D objects in mid-air but also to physically feel them without wearing gloves or exoskeletons. By integrating novel hardware (HaptiMesh) with an AI-driven computational–perceptual model (Sentient Objects), the project will deliver safe, precise, and natural tactile feedback inside volumetric displays. This breakthrough will transform volumetric interaction from purely visual exploration into realistic, two-handed physical engagement, enabling new applications in training, rehabilitation, education, and immersive technologies. Today’s volumetric and XR systems let users see holograms but not feel them, creating a major gap in realism and training efficiency. Current haptic technologies provide only partial solutions: ultrasound arrays generate very weak forces (<0.1 N), vibrotactile rings stimulate only small areas of the hand, and gloves or exoskeletons restrict natural movement. This lack of tangible feedback reduces immersion, limits the transfer of skills, and constrains applications where touch is critical. Despite rapid advances in XR, haptics, and volumetric displays, the opportunity to merge visual holograms with tangible touch remains almost entirely untapped. Today, over €50 billion is invested annually in XR markets, yet nearly all interaction remains limited to hand controllers, gloves, or visual-only mid-air displays. No system has yet demonstrated natural, unencumbered, two-hand interaction where users can confidently see and feel holograms in mid-air. This leaves training, rehabilitation, and design fields underserved: medical simulation and rehabilitation industries alone represent a multi-billion-euro market, but their current tools cannot provide safe tactile volumetric feedback. The core problem is clear: people can see holograms but cannot touch them.