Researchers have unveiled a new wearable device that allows you to send text messages using touch, completely bypassing displays and keyboards. Work published in Advanced Functional Materialsdemonstrates how the combination of soft materials and artificial intelligence creates a complete two-way communication channel through the skin.

What prevents modern gadgets from understanding touch?

Human skin is capable of sensing subtle movements and pressure, as well as the timing between them. Modern gadgets recognize only light touches, swipes and gestures, ignoring the wealth of tactile information. Previously, scientists have tried wearable sensors, gloves and bracelets that monitor blood pressure, but many solutions were too rigid, limited in functionality or unable to convey detailed feedback.

The problem is further complicated by the fact that digital text is represented in ASCII encoding of 128 characters.Each character must be “encoded” into a tactile signal so that it can be distinguished solely by touch, without visual or audio cues.

A patch that can transmit text

The new device combines flexible ion-tron sensors, elastic copper circuits, compact vibration modules and AI algorithms that are trained to recognize pressure.

“This creates a complete two-way loop capable of displaying all 128 ASCII characters solely through touch,” the study authors note.

The patch, or smart skin, is a multi-layer design: an elastic copper circuit is mounted on a polyimide base that bends, twists and stretches without damage. On top, a soft silicone layer with a hardness of about 435 kPa, comparable to skin, and silicone adhesive make it easy to wear and take off. The main sensor is an ion-tron matrix with a gel layer that changes capacitance when pressed, and copper electrodes record these changes and turn them into measurable signals.

Encoding text via touch

The system breaks each ASCII character into four segments. Each sensor corresponds to a two-bit segment, and the number of clicks in a short interval determines its value. Feedback is provided by vibration pulses: each actuator vibrates a certain number of times according to the segment code, creating a tangible pattern that the user can interpret by touch.

To simplify data processing, the developers created a mathematical model of pressing, which includes four phases: rise, peak, decline and return. Based on the force, duration and frequency of clicks, synthetic data is generated that simulates real sensory signals.

Two feature demos

The patch showed itself in two scenarios. In the first case, the user types the message “Forward!”and the computer decodes the text and sends tactile confirmation, allowing you to interact without visual control. In another embodiment, the device controls a racing game: taps move the car, and the strength of vibrations signals the distance to obstacles, creating a real tactile sensation of distance.

“Haptic feedback through the skin turns it into a full-fledged interaction channel,” the researchers comment.

The use of soft materials and AI opens up new possibilities for interacting with digital devices, making technology natural, accessible and flexible. This approach could transform wearable technology, virtual reality, gaming interfaces and communications for people with visual or hearing impairments.