Wearable Interactive Full-Body Motion Tracking and Haptic Feedback System Dataset (Nature Communications 2025)

Overview

The Wearable Interactive Full-Body Motion Tracking and Haptic Feedback System dataset published in Nature Communications (September 2025) presents data from a novel multifunctional wearable platform combining motion sensing with tactile feedback interfaces.

System Architecture

• Flexible epidermal patches housing triaxial accelerometers, BLE microcontroller units, batteries, and vibrotactile actuators.
• On-skin wearable design with elastomeric encapsulation ensuring conformal contact and comfort during extended wear (160+ hours continuous operation).
• Wireless BLE connectivity enabling real-time data streaming to smartphones, tablets, or VR/AR headsets.
• Bidirectional system: Motion data input drives haptic feedback output in closed-loop configurations.

Data Collection

• Motion data collected from multiple body locations: chest, back, arms (upper/lower), legs (thigh/calf), wrists, and ankles.
• Diverse movement repertoire including daily activities, exercise, gestures, and VR/AR interactions.
• Machine learning classifier trained on motion patterns to recognize body placement and activity types.
• Haptic feedback patterns synchronized with motion events and virtual environment interactions.

Measured Parameters

• Tri-axial acceleration: x, y, z acceleration components capturing linear body motion.
• Motion frequency analysis: Characterization of movement frequencies from slow (< 1 Hz) to rapid (> 10 Hz) motions.
• Haptic patterns: Vibration intensity, frequency, and temporal patterns delivered by actuators.
• Power consumption: Energy usage data showing 1.3-1.5 mA during operation for ~160 hours battery life.
• Sensor placement metadata: Body location labels for supervised ML training.

Use Cases

• VR/AR applications: Real-time haptic feedback synchronized with user movements enhancing immersion and presence.
• Remote communication: Mutual awareness and interaction through synchronized motion sensing and haptic feedback between remote users.
• Gaming and training: Motion-controlled interfaces with tactile cues for skill acquisition and entertainment.
• Rehabilitation: Personalized haptic feedback for gait training, posture correction, and motor learning.
• Human-machine interfaces: Developing next-generation wearable input/output devices with bidirectional information flow.