The Haptic Feedback Revolution: How VR Is Starting to “Feel”

From a visual experience to physical sensation.

Virtual reality has long been built on two main components — image and sound. VR headsets let people see digital worlds, headphones let them hear them, and the next stage of the technology's development was meant to be the sense of touch.

At CES 2026, several companies unveiled a new generation of devices that convey physical sensation in VR — everything from gloves to full-body suits. These new haptic feedback devices let users not just observe a virtual environment, but literally feel it.

How this could change the way we interact with digital worlds — read on in this DeTalks article.

Touch Technology as VR's Next Frontier

Virtual reality began developing rapidly back in the 2010s, when affordable consumer VR headsets first appeared. But most of these systems remained limited to a visual and audio experience. Users could see and hear the virtual environment, but couldn't physically feel their interaction with objects in it.

That's exactly why one of the key directions in VR development has become haptic feedback technology (haptic feedback). At CES 2026, which took place January 6–9 in Las Vegas, these technologies became one of the standout trends.

Devices That Let You 'Feel' VR

Tactsuit and TactGlove. Photo: viaria.com.ua

One of the companies to unveil new solutions, for instance, was South Korean company bHaptics. It showcased its wireless Tactsuit and TactGlove devices, which transmit haptic signals during VR interactions.

The Tactsuit vest has multiple points of tactile feedback and can reproduce vibrations or impacts on the user's body, synchronized with in-game events — like the feeling of being hit or a vehicle passing.

The TactGlove gloves, meanwhile, work not just as a touch-feedback device, but also as a controller. They're equipped with sensors and gyroscopes that track hand movement, letting users interact with objects in the virtual environment.

Full-Body Systems and New Use Cases

Another development direction on display at the conference was full-body haptic systems. For example, the Teslasuit XR5 combines a haptic interface, motion capture, and biometric sensors. Systems like these are used not just for entertainment, but in professional fields too — for training, simulations, and rehabilitation.

Another haptic vest, the Woojer Vest 4, converts audio signals into physical vibrations across the whole body. It works not just with VR games, but also with music or films, adding a physical dimension to audio.

The Future of VR: A Full-Body Experience

Thanks to devices like these, VR is gradually shifting from a purely visual experience into a fully sensory one. Users can not just see an object in virtual space, but feel its contact or the force of the interaction.

Haptic technology could be the next big step in the evolution of virtual reality. Where VR used to be just 'a picture in front of your eyes,' it's now gradually becoming an experience that engages the whole body.