New Uses for Haptic Devices

When I, and my fellow IT architects, designed a taxonomy for Shell’s IT architecture, we included Haptic devices in the class of input devices. A haptic device is one that provides feedback to a human via the sense of touch. An example that many gameplayers are becoming familiar with would be a joystick that provides force feedback. In Shell, we were thinking that in 3D virtual reality environments (used to simulate and explore underground oil reservoirs), then Haptic devices such as cybergloves would become readily available at affordable prices. The added dimension of the sense of touch might give new avenues to explore when interpreting data.

Of course, the human mind is an ingenious thing. While it was to be expected that given the human race’s propensity to pursue sex in all its forms that Teledildonics would emerge, some of the new uses of Haptic technology are, shall we say, a little more esoteric in nature.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: The Bovine Palpation Rectal Simulator! The saviour of timid veterinary students everywhere.