What if we could "touch" online? Introducing the Tactile Internet | Zhanwei Hou | TEDxSydney

Summary

Zhao Wei, a researcher from the University of Sydney, shares his personal story of being separated from his parents during the pandemic and how his research into tactile internet could bridge such distances. He envisions a future where people can remotely experience touch through devices like robotic hands and sensory gloves. This tactile feedback could revolutionize fields like telemedicine, remote teaching, and even online shopping. Zhao Wei discusses overcoming communication delays with AI, and introduces a concept called the 'cerebral internet,' where brain-machine interfaces allow for even deeper interaction. Ultimately, tactile internet could redefine human connection across the globe.

Takeaways

• 😀 Zhao Wei, a researcher from the University of Sydney, is developing a method to enable families to touch each other over the internet despite long distances.
• 😀 Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Zhao Wei's parents have not yet met their grandchild in person, making the need for remote touch technology especially important to him and his family.
• 😀 The concept of tactile internet involves using highly sensitive devices, such as gloves or styluses, to transmit and receive the sense of touch over the internet.
• 😀 By using robotic avatars, users can remotely feel and interact with objects or people, such as holding a baby's hand or feeling the texture and weight of objects in a virtual environment.
• 😀 The tactile internet could transform industries, especially in scenarios requiring delicate handling, such as manufacturing dangerous goods or performing remote medical diagnostics.
• 😀 The current internet infrastructure supports visual and audio communication, but tactile internet requires reducing delays and increasing reliability to ensure there is no lag in the tactile experience.
• 😀 One challenge of the tactile internet is the speed of light, which sets an upper limit on the transmission speed for long-distance communication, such as between China and Australia.
• 😀 To overcome the delay caused by the speed of light, artificial intelligence can be used to predict the future movements of users and send this predicted information in advance to reduce lag.
• 😀 Tactile internet has the potential to revolutionize human interaction, allowing users to experience touch while shopping online, in remote learning, medical consultations, or even in space exploration.
• 😀 A futuristic version of tactile internet, called 'cerebral internet,' could involve using brain-machine interfaces to control robotic hands and transmit sensory feedback directly to the brain, eliminating the need for external devices in the future.

Q & A

What motivated Zhao Wei to start his research on tactile internet?

Zhao Wei's motivation for researching tactile internet stemmed from his personal experience of being a new parent while his parents were unable to meet their grandson due to COVID-19 and international travel restrictions. This emotional challenge inspired him to explore technology that could enable remote touch and bring families closer despite physical distance.

How does the tactile internet work?

The tactile internet works by using sensitive gloves, styluses, or other devices that allow users to experience touch remotely. These devices transmit tactile sensations, such as texture, weight, and warmth, to the user. On the receiving end, a robotic avatar mimics the user's movements and provides feedback via tactile sensors, allowing the user to 'feel' the touch.

What is the main technological challenge for implementing tactile internet?

The primary challenge for tactile internet is reducing delays in communication. Due to the speed of light, even fast networks like 5G cannot eliminate the delays caused by long distances. For example, the delay between China and Australia can be up to 35 milliseconds in fiber-optic connections, which is too slow for real-time tactile feedback.

How does artificial intelligence help reduce the delay in tactile internet?

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a key role in reducing delay by predicting the user's movements in advance. By forecasting the user's actions in tenths or hundredths of a millisecond, AI enables the system to send the predicted movements to the receiver ahead of time, minimizing the delay and creating a smoother tactile experience.

Why is tactile feedback important in industries like manufacturing or chemical handling?

Tactile feedback is crucial in industries like manufacturing or chemical handling because it allows human operators to perform delicate tasks remotely while maintaining the precise, expert touch required for safety and accuracy. Using robotic arms and tactile sensors, experts can handle dangerous or sensitive materials from a safe distance while still feeling the objects' properties, such as weight and texture.

What are some of the potential applications of tactile internet?

Potential applications of tactile internet include remote medical diagnoses, online shopping experiences where users can feel fabrics or materials, virtual piano lessons with tactile feedback, and expert repairs on space infrastructure or remote technical tasks. It could transform industries by allowing remote physical interaction and skill delivery.

What does Zhao Wei mean by 'cerebral internet'?

'Cerebral internet' refers to the concept of transmitting tactile sensations directly to the brain via brain-machine interfaces. This would allow users to experience touch without relying on external devices like gloves or robotic avatars. The idea is to stimulate specific brain areas to convey tactile feedback, making the experience even more immersive and direct.

What stage is the development of the 'cerebral internet' currently at?

Currently, the development of 'cerebral internet' is in its early stages. It requires invasive brain-machine interfaces for reliable communication. However, Zhao Wei envisions a future where non-invasive systems could be developed, eliminating the need for physical devices while still providing users with the sensation of touch.

How could tactile internet change the way we interact with each other?

Tactile internet has the potential to drastically change human interaction by enabling us to touch, feel, and engage with others and objects remotely. Families could experience physical closeness despite geographical distances, while professionals could provide expertise from anywhere in the world. This would redefine communication and create new possibilities for remote collaboration.

What impact does Zhao Wei hope tactile internet will have on families?

Zhao Wei hopes that tactile internet will help families like his, who are separated by long distances, stay emotionally connected by enabling them to share physical experiences like touch. He believes it could bridge the gap for families who are geographically apart, allowing them to feel closer despite the distance.