LAS VEGAS, January 08 (AJP)-The art of craftsmanship in Japan has long rested on an exceptional sensitivity to detail — from silverware and precision metalwork to wagashi sweets — refined through the human hand. As Japan’s master artisans age and fewer successors emerge, that legacy is increasingly at risk.
A sensor-to-tactile feedback technology called Tacthancer offers a novel response. The technology was demonstrated Thursday (local time) at the booth of DIC Corporation in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES, presenting a materials-based solution to a challenge long faced by craft and manufacturing industries.
The demonstration was led by Ichikawa Atsushi, 38, from Chiba Prefecture. he first asked to slide AJP reporter's index finger across a metal plate with bare skin. The surface felt nearly smooth, with dents and burrs barely perceptible. When the same motion was repeated while wearing a finger cot fitted with Tacthancer, the minute irregularities became immediately pronounced.
The device resembles the finger cots commonly used by watchmakers. Beneath its soft outer layer lies a flat internal structure that is more rigid than it appears. Rather than relying on electronics, sensors, or software, the design mechanically amplifies subtle surface variations, translating them into tactile feedback that the fingertip can clearly detect.
“Veteran masters in these industries can feel the tiniest scratch marks — invisible to the eye — with their fingertips,” Ichikawa said. “But the community of master craftsmen is aging, and it is extremely difficult for younger workers to acquire this level of sensitivity.”
Tacthancer operates without power, requiring no batteries or wiring. According to explanations at the booth, the technology depends entirely on material structure to enhance tactile sensitivity, enabling ultra-fine texture detection through purely passive means. Its simplicity allows it to be worn directly on the finger or integrated into gloves used in industrial environments.
Ichikawa said the technology is intended for fields where surface quality has traditionally been judged by human sensation rather than instruments. These include precision metalworking, painting and coating processes, and traditional crafts such as urushi lacquerware, where artisans rely on tactile judgment refined over decades.
“This technology can help younger workers carry on a master’s work without requiring many years of training,” he said.
At a trade show dominated by automation, robotics, and data-driven inspection systems, the Tacthancer demonstration took a markedly different approach. Rather than replacing skilled judgment or converting touch into digital signals, the device enhances how physical information is conveyed to the human hand — keeping evaluation grounded in sensation.
In doing so, it suggests that preserving craftsmanship may not require abandoning tradition for machines, but rethinking how human ability itself can be quietly extended.
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