Haptic technology Air vortex rings are donut-shaped air pockets that are concentrated gusts of air. Focused air vortices can have the force to blow out a candle or disturb papers from a few yards away. Two specific companies have done research using air vortices as a source for non-contact haptic feedback. In 2013, Disney worked on a technology they called AIREAL. This system delivered non-contact haptic feedback through the use of air vortex rings. According to Disney, AIREAL helps users experience textures and "touch" virtual 3D objects in free space. This is all without the need for a glove or any other
Haptic technology type of physical haptic feedback. Disney took on this research because they believed that technology is advancing towards more virtual or augmented reality applications. According to Disney, the missing piece in this emerging computer-augmented world is the absence of physical feeling of virtual objects. Disney's main intention for this research was to encourage other research regarding new applications of non-contact haptic feedback. In 2013, Microsoft explored the same area as Disney. They used air vortex rings in order to try and provide haptic feedback for an at-a-distance interaction. Microsoft mostly focused on the study of vortex formation theory and parameters