Rice University students win top prize in global design contest with cutting-edge haptic wristband

(Press-News.org) Rice University student engineers have earned top international honors for a novel device that could redefine how humans interact with virtual environments. Their project, a wearable haptic wristband, claimed first place in the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS) Student Design Competition held in London May 27.

The team, known as WRIST (short for Wearable Radial Interface for Sensory hapTic feedback),includes students from mechanical engineering and electrical and computer engineering. Their winning device is a lightweight, modular bracelet capable of delivering two distinct forms of tactile feedback: a dynamic squeeze around the wrist and precise vibrations from multiple contact points. The system aims to make virtual reality (VR) and human-computer interaction more immersive, intuitive and accessible.

“We wanted to build something that could deliver high-quality haptic feedback without being bulky or cost-prohibitive,” team member Xinghe (Mark) Chen said. “There are some great commercial devices out there, but many are expensive, hard to repair and limited in their feedback capabilities. We saw an opportunity to do better.”

What sets WRIST apart is its innovative integration of multiple feedback modalities — radial squeeze and vibrotactile stimulation — in a form factor that’s compact, low-cost and user-friendly. At its core is a powerful DC motor connected to a radial spooling mechanism that tightens a soft, flexible band around the wrist, simulating the sensation of a squeeze. Simultaneously, five linear resonant actuators positioned evenly around the wristband provide finely controlled vibrations to simulate taps, pulses or dynamic movement cues.

The device’s motor can generate a force of 10 newtons in just 0.1 seconds and reach 15 newtons within 0.3 seconds — fast enough to convincingly simulate pressure changes in response to real-time actions in a virtual space.

“We spent a lot of time optimizing the motor and the gearbox combination,” team member Brendan Hlibok said. “By using a custom DC motor with a planetary gearbox and encoder-based feedback control, we achieved high torque, fast response time and repeatable actuation without inflating the cost.”

Unlike many existing haptic devices that are limited to a single form of feedback or require bulky external components, WRIST is entirely self-contained. All electronics — including a custom-printed circuit board, motor controller, power regulators and communication interfaces — are housed inside the bracelet itself. The device is powered and controlled by a laptop via a single USB-C cable, making it highly portable and easy to integrate into different environments.

The flexible band, made from biocompatible thermoplastic polyurethane, accommodates a wide range of wrist sizes while remaining comfortable for extended wear. Embedded wires stretch and relax with the band, allowing continuous electrical connection without compromising durability or comfort.

“The modularity of the design was really important to us,” team member Wendy Tan said. “Every piece of the WRIST device, from the vibrotactor housing to the motor mount, can be 3D printed or sourced using common lab tools. That makes it not just easier to build and repair but more accessible for research labs or classrooms that don’t have big budgets.”

To demonstrate WRIST’s potential in action, the team created custom interactive environments in Unity, a popular game engine used in VR development. In one simulation, users can press a virtual button and feel a corresponding squeeze or vibration. In another, drawing back a virtual bowstring triggers increasing pressure around the wrist, simulating the tension of archery in real time.

“Adding squeeze feedback opens up a whole new channel of communication between the machine and the user,” team member Didi Zhou said. “It can be used for training, for accessibility or even just to make games more immersive. And because our device supports open-source integration, researchers can use it right out of the box.”

The WRIST team also includes Ali Nik-Ahd and Nathan Morriss. Four of the six students traveled to London to present their project, where they stood out among competitors from universities around the world. Their win reflects not just technical excellence but also effective communication and design thinking.

The team was nominated for the competition by Joseph Cavallaro, chair of the IEEE CASS Houston chapter and a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice.

“This team really impressed me,” Cavallaro said. “They addressed key challenges in haptic technology — cost, form factor, multimodality — and built something elegant and impactful. It’s a powerful demonstration of what undergraduates can achieve with the right vision and mentorship.”

The device was created at Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK) and won the OEDK Staff Favorite Award at the 2025 Huff OEDK Engineering Design Showcase. The students received guidance and mentorship from several Rice faculty, including Gary Woods, distinguished professor in the practice of electrical and computer and engineering; David Trevas, lecturer in mechanical engineering; Marcia O’Malley, chair of mechanical engineering; and Elyse Chase, faculty fellow in mechanical engineering. Tracy Volz, director of Rice’s Activate Engineering Communication Program, helped the team refine their presentation and poster ahead of the competition.

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