Muscle stimulator enhances video gaming experience

New Scientist : To the ever-expanding field of video gaming, researchers in Germany have added a new twist: electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). Using two small wired electrodes attached to the gamer’s forearm, EMS sends strong, painless contractions to the hands. The user reflexively fights the contraction, which makes him or her feel more a part of the action. Such haptic technology, which provides tactile feedback to the user, has been likened to the visual enhancement of computer graphics. The mobile force-feedback device will be demonstrated at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Paris in April.