As social animals, humans instinctively yearn for connection, and in many ways technology has bridged the gap between connection and distance. Even in the early days of technology-assisted communication, people began to reach out and expand their connections and relationships. In the days of the telegraph, romances were known to bloom between operators who spent their down-time connecting, talking, and flirting with dots and dashes. While most of us can’t comprehend falling in love over Morse code, a parallel can be drawn to the way we connect and nurture relationships with Skype, Facebook, texting, and phone calls.
Yet despite how advanced the technology has become, I don’t know many who would argue that digital communication falls very short in comparison to in-person connection. Skype may allow you to see your loved one’s smile, but it doesn’t allow you to hold their hand, give a warm embrace, or feel their presence. It was that gap between our existing technology and the feeling of true connection that inspired Marco Triverio to build something that would bridge the gap between tactical sensation and digital communication. The result was Feel Me – a smartphone application that allows two people to interact in real-time using non-verbal touch.
The idea behind Feel Me is that the kind of communication that breeds true connection is just as much about the content shared as is it is about connecting with the presence of the other person. Once installed on two smartphones, Feel Me works as a communication terminal allowing users to text but also to connect through touch. The application is able to follow the touch patterns of you and your partner, reflecting the touch patterns of your partner as small dots on your screen. When both parties touch the same spot, a small vibration is triggered to acknowledge the connection and enhance the sense of connection through touch.
Feel Me is fully working application and Triverio says that it does not aim at replacing physical interactions, but it rather aims at enriching the currently sterile digital communications.
Visit the project’s website for more information.
Images via ww.creativeapplications.net
