Locomotion-Based UAV Control Toward the Internet of Senses

The emergence of 5th-generation networks and the introduction of the ultra-low latency Internet, namely, tactile Internet, by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has opened up a wide range of applications. Extended Reality (XR), holoportation, and remote control of machines are among the ones that would revolutionize the future of factories, smart cities, and digital healthcare. Virtual Reality (VR) technology provides users with highly realistic visual and auditory experiences, enabling a high sense of immersion and embodiment in virtual environments. In the real world, however, we use more senses than only vision and hearing to perceive our surroundings. Particularly, tactile sensation is the only bidirectional modality that enables us to perceive and interact with the objects and surfaces around us. This brief introduces a real-life testbed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based system that leverages different technologies, including VR, 360° video streaming over 4G/5G, and edge computing to enable 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) view with haptic feedback for a maximized immersion. The demonstration videos of the testbed are made publicly available on the following links: Link1 and Link2.