Enhancing Sensory Experience with the Power of Touch

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Dr. Ho Seong Lee) is collaborating with government-funded research institutes and universities to develop a hyper-realistic metaverse that can be physically interacted with.

On 13th December 2023, KRISS held a signboard hanging ceremony at its headquarters in Daejeon to announce the establishment of the Convergence Research Center for Meta-Touch. The event included progress reports on the Center, gatherings of researchers, signboard hanging, and research site visits. Over 50 key figures attended, including representatives from ETRI, KAIST, and NST.

Supported by NST, the Convergence Research Center for Meta-Touch will invest 39 billion KRW by 2029 to develop haptic standards and systems for a hyper-realistic metaverse. The Center, led by KRISS, with KAIST and ETRI as main organizers, will conduct five convergence research projects. Participating universities include Sungkyunkwan University, Korea National University of Transportation, Ajou University, POSTECH, and Kyung Hee University.

Haptic interfaces are gaining attention as essential technology for enhancing realism and immersion in the metaverse, as traditional environments focusing on audiovisual technologies have limitations. The Center aims to establish haptic standards and develop high-performance haptic devices and software to address these issues.

Dr. Min Seok Kim, head of the Convergence Research Center for Meta-Touch, expressed their goal to enhance national competitiveness in the metaverse industry and contribute to the haptic market preoccupancy by collaborating with various industries, universities, and research institutes.

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