SBIR Phase I: Neural Haptics for Next-Generation Wearables

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project is to propel novel haptic technology towards commercial use in the spatial computing industry. Tens of millions of Americans use head worn devices but are not as widely adopted as mobile computing devices like cell phones due to poor user experience from a lack of touch. Neural haptics are a novel technique to create the sense of touch using wearables like rings and watches. The Smart Watch and Smart Ring market segments encompass more than $30 billion dollars. Neural haptics leverage decades of research on neural interfaces and how to stimulate the nervous system to trick the brain into feeling things that aren’t there. This background and patent portfolio produces a durable competitive advantage. The business model entails the sale of a custom chipset and software licensing. The Smart Ring market will be reached first followed by the Smart Watch market. The potential broad impact by year three of production of Neural Haptics will widespread adoption of Neural Haptics consumer electronics and therefore lower power, more informative, and more seamless interactions in spatial computing environments. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project promotes novel neuroscience techniques like peripheral nerve stimulation to create artificial sensations. Neural haptics uses well-established techniques for neuromodulation from the fields of rehabilitation and neuroscience but deploys those techniques into consumer electronics like smart rings and watches. Neural Haptics provide numerous advantages to traditional mechanical actuators (e.g., vibration from a cell phone) including five times lower power, no moving parts, and best in class latencies. However, Neural Haptics currently have the technical hurdle of relying on high voltages (200V) to create artificial neural activity due to high skin impedances. The goals of the proposed research efforts are focused on studying the way neural haptic design elements can reduce the skin impedance and thereby reduce voltage requirements of the neural haptic technology. The aims of the proposed research include: 1) Characterization of neurostimulation performance across contact shape, contact materials, and skin pressure, 2) Improved neurostimulation performance through optimal neural haptic ring design The anticipated technical results include validation of an optimal neural haptic ring design including contact shape, materials, and skin pressure specifications. These results will enable further miniaturization including the design of a custom application specific integrated chip (ASIC). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.