Students and visitors at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa recently tested new haptic and extended reality (XR) devices to explore the sense of touch in a virtual environment.
Daniele Leonardis, the associate professor leading the research group, guided participants through demonstrations of tactile devices and body-tracking systems. Attendees could feel textures, resistance, and motions that mimic real objects, offering hands-on interaction with the technology.
During the public session, students experimented with XR systems designed for industrial and medical applications, testing interfaces that respond to hand movements and monitor biometric signals. Many reported astonishment at the level of precision and responsiveness.
“I never imagined a machine could replicate touch so accurately,” said one student after trying the haptic interface in the TeCIP Institute classrooms.
The session also included demonstrations of the project’s work on integrating real and virtual environments, allowing participants to observe how digital simulations can replicate real-world interactions. The experience offered students practical exposure to technologies they had studied theoretically, connecting academic research with tangible experimentation.
The event, part of the European SUN XR project, provided a rare opportunity for young engineers and researchers to engage directly with cutting-edge XR and tactile innovations.
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