Most of us experience data by looking at screens filled with charts, graphs and numbers.
But what if you could actually feel your data instead of just seeing it?
Researchers at the University of Adelaide have developed an experimental wearable glove called ThermoPhy that turns information into physical sensations.
The glove uses heat, touch and small physical objects to help people experience data in a more personal and meaningful way.
The project was created as part of a remote internship run by the Australian Research Center for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE). The goal was to explore whether information could be communicated through the body as well as through the eyes.
ThermoPhy has two different ways of presenting information.
On the outside of the glove, users can attach small 3D-printed pieces that create physical versions of familiar charts and graphs. For example, the pieces can form bar charts, line graphs or heat maps that can be seen and touched.
Inside the glove are tiny heating elements wrapped around the fingers. These heaters generate carefully controlled warm sensations that only the wearer can feel.
This combination allows the glove to communicate two layers of information at the same time. The physical structures on the outside can display information that everyone can see, while the heat sensations provide private information that only the person wearing the glove experiences.
Researchers believe temperature is especially interesting because it creates a highly personal experience.
Unlike a chart on a screen, a feeling of warmth can be emotional and intimate, making it useful for representing information that is sensitive or deeply personal.
The team believes the glove could be used to communicate information about mood, stress levels, well-being and personal experiences.
For example, someone might use the glove to show how many hours they slept each night using physical bars attached to the glove. At the same time, the amount of warmth inside the glove could represent how happy, tired or stressed they felt when they woke up.
Another possible use is to represent how crowded and uncomfortable a workplace or classroom feels. In this case, warmer temperatures could indicate higher levels of discomfort or stress.
The researchers also think the glove could encourage empathy and better understanding between people. Imagine a university student displaying their academic performance over several semesters. Friends could see the visible information on the glove and even wear it themselves to experience the levels of stress associated with those results. Feeling the data might create a deeper understanding than simply looking at grades on a page.
The project is part of a growing movement known as “data humanism,” which aims to make information more relatable and connected to real human experiences.
The researchers designed ThermoPhy to be inexpensive and accessible, with electronic components costing only about AUD$28. Although the glove is still in its early stages, the team believes future versions could work alongside technologies such as augmented reality and help people better understand their health, emotions and life experiences.
One day, wearable devices may allow us not only to see our data but to literally feel it.
