News
Virtual reality haptic “smart suit” uses AI with biometrics to simulate real-world environments
One of the innovative future technologies that was on display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2019) in Las Vegas is the Teslasuit, a full body virtual reality haptic suit that delivers real sensations to users that mimic the environment of a digital simulation or game. In a haptic feedback system, stimuli are used to provoke real sensations involving touch – shocks, punches, pushes, bumps, etc. Teslasuit combines this sort of environmental feedback along with climate control, motion capture, and biometric systems to give a fully responsive, immersive experience to the user. Combined with true-to-life virtual reality graphics, this device could finally provide the experience VR was intended to have since its development began.
The full-body sensations of the Teslasuit seem to indicate a new level of experience for virtual reality users, but the haptic capabilities aren’t the only things making it stand out. The suit’s biometric system is designed to use machine learning to analyze heart rate, stress levels, and overall mental and emotional states to create experiences catered to the user. How this capability will be implemented is really up to game developers, though. As data is gathered from biometrics, capabilities will follow. “This is very important for the gaming industry. We see that in the future, when we come to the end user market, that we will be able to offer a lot of data sensing for the developers to process, for the AI itself to adjust the game to the player,” Dimitri Mikhalchuk, co-founder of Teslasuit, explained in an interview with Digital Trends. The suit was first officially unveiled at CES 2018.
Teslasuit uses 68 channels embedded throughout the suit’s fabric to deliver electrical stimulations, and the company is working to expand on that number. Also included in the suit’s software is a haptic library, enabling game developers to create their own effects to correspond with their virtual worlds. The climate control system adjusts the temperature of the suit, heating and cooling in accordance with the virtual environment. Finally, its motion capture and avatar system track motions from the users entire body to interact with virtual environments (and built with multiple players in mind), something that’s more or less an expansion on the core of VR to begin with.
-
- The haptic Teslasuit as imagined in a VR game environment. | Credit: Teslasuit
-
- The haptic Teslasuit. | Credit: Teslasuit
-
- The haptic Teslasuit. | Credit: Teslasuit
While the Teslasuit brings virtual worlds closer to a potentially action-packed reality, bruises are not part of the experience, according to Mikhalchuk. The electric stimulation is matched to the users own strength, adapting its responses to the input. In other words, the force a user “hits” with in a game is the amount of force used to “hit” back, i.e., electric pulses make the muscles contract within that range.
With the equivalent of a full body shocking device wrapped around players, the question of security arises, yet another thing Teslasuit has addressed in its design. Its software has military grade encryption (AES 256) built into its wireless control system to ensure users’ bodies are not (literally) hacked into. Among its many features, Teslasuit is also completely wireless, boasts a 10+ hour battery life, and is machine washable (important for sweat-inducing virtual scenarios and general funk from frequent wear). A summary of the device on the Teslasuit website reads like something from a science fiction movie:
A highly developed form of computer modeling allows an operator to immerse in the artificial world. The user can act directly in it with the help of special sensory devices that link movements with audio-visual effects. In this case, the user’s visual, auditory, tactile, and motor sensations are replaced by their imitation, generated by a computer system with full body haptic VR suit. At the same time, biometric system of the Teslasuit analyzes human performance and health (workforce and human performance analytics). – Teslasuit.io
The future of augmented reality and virtual reality applications have been explored in fictional storylines over the years with the most recent and directly relevant one being the haptic system imagined in the movie Ready Player One. The Battlestar Galactica prequel series “Caprica” also imagined an immersive virtual world that users could “feel” experiences in (or otherwise do things they wouldn’t/couldn’t in the real world), but that didn’t require a suit, just a mind. In an episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror series called “Playtest”, an American traveler in the UK signs up to demo an immersive VR horror game to earn some money. Unlike the Teslasuit, however, the experience in that episode involved an implant to the user’s neck called a “mushroom” which linked up the VR experience with a user’s brain. The Matrix also suggested an immersive environment, although people weren’t exactly voluntarily involved, if they ever knew it wasn’t real to begin with.
Other than gaming, Teslasuit is suggestive of several solutions for non-entertainment industries. According to an article on their company website, several VR-training solutions were available for demonstration at CES 2019: Astronaut VR-training in an ISS module, an oil-loading ramp operation VR-simulator, emergency evacuation VR-training, and a powerplant VR training simulator. Teslasuit is currently continuing its outreach and collaboration with game companies to develop content. Its software development kit and corresponding system tools and applications are included with the purchase of the suit which began shipping B2B in the third quarter of 2018.
Watch the below video for a first-hand review of Teslasuit:
Tesla has extended its Bay Area ride-hailing service to include pickups and drop-offs at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The update, shared via the company’s official channels on July 21, allows users in the region to request rides directly to and from one of California’s busiest airports.
The expansion builds on Tesla’s secured limousine permit for SFO operations. Public records show the permit became effective March 20, 2026, and remains active through January 31, 2027. Tesla vehicles operating the service now display authorized limousine permits issued by the City and County of San Francisco.
Our Bay Area rideshare service now goes to SFO ✈️
— Tesla AI (@Tesla_AI) July 21, 2026
Tesla’s ride-hailing program in California relies on Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology. Human safety drivers remain present in compliance with state regulations, distinguishing the service from fully driverless operations.
The Bay Area geofence covers a broad area spanning north of San Francisco to south of San Jose, offering extensive connectivity across the region.
UPDATE: Elon Musk reveals why Tesla didn’t say ‘Robotaxi’ upon California launch
This SFO addition follows earlier progress at other Bay Area airports. Tesla previously expanded service to San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) in late 2025. The company had engaged with SFO, SJC, and Oakland International Airport officials as early as September 2025 to secure necessary approvals for passenger transport.
The service provides a new option for travelers seeking electric, app-based transportation integrated with Tesla’s ecosystem. Rides are booked through Tesla’s dedicated ride-hailing application, which handles matching, routing, and payments. Pricing follows standard ride-hailing models, with potential adjustments based on distance, time, and demand.
Tesla’s California ride-hailing program launched in July 2025 with an initial invite-only rollout in the Bay Area. It started alongside operations in Austin, Texas, marking the company’s second major U.S. market.
The Bay Area remains a primary focus in California, with service centered on high-demand corridors connecting residential, commercial, and now major transportation hubs. This latest airport integration represents a practical step in Tesla’s broader mobility ambitions within the state.
Tesla has officially revealed its 2026 Summer Update, which comes with a variety of crazy new features, including Navigation fixes that owners have been wanting for months.
Tesla routinely releases a larger update with the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter updates, where it ships a variety of new features, bug fixes, and other additions to customer cars.
The 2026 Spring Update featured things like “Hey Grok” voice assistance, a redesigned self-driving app, Unreal Engine visual upgrades, and more.
🚨 TESLA’S SUMMER UPDATE FOR 2026 IS HERE:
Featuring:
✅ Self-Driving Stats in Mobile App
✅ Caraoke with Scoring
✅ Automatic Navigation
✅ Preferred Routes
✅ Set Arrival Energy from Mobile App
✅ Send Custom Wraps from Mobile App
✅ Rear Display Lock
✅ Other Improvements
🔌… https://t.co/C9IW3egEhH— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 21, 2026
Tesla’s Summer Release has about ten new features; we’ll show you each and detail them below:
New Grok Voice Commands
“Grok can now make phone calls, search and play music, adjust climate, open the glovebox, and answer questions about your Tesla.”
Self-Driving Stats in Mobile App
“View and share self-driving stats from the mobile app.”
Caraoke With Scoring
“Caraoke now scores your singing while in Park. High scores are saved to your Tesla profile.”
Automatic Navigation
“Automatic Navigation now adapts to your routine.
In addition to Home, Work, and upcoming calendar events, your vehicle can now suggest and route to places you visit regularly – like a school drop-off on the way to work, or the gym on the way home.”
Preferred Routes
“For a more personalized experience, navigation now prioritizes routes that you’ve taken before”
Set Arrival Energy from Mobile App
“Set your desired Arrival Energy from your phone.”
Send Custom Wraps from Mobile App
“Skip the USB drive and upload a custom wrap of your car from the mobile app. Instructions for creating a custom wrap here: https://github.com/teslamotors/custom-wraps.”
Rear Display Lock
“Kids can watch content on the rear screen, but only the front row can control it through the rear screen app.”
Other Improvements
- Find Superchargers by name when searching for a destination
- Add Apple Music songs to queue from search and artist page
- Set your preferred zoom level for the Self-Driving visualization
- Intro animations for new Model 3 and Y
Tesla’s reason for Starlink integration on Cybercab might surprise you, as the company’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, finally shed some light on the reason they are putting a satellite internet terminal on its ride-hailing-geared vehicle.
On Monday, Tesla officially confirmed that it would integrate Starlink V5 terminals into Cybercab vehicles, something many Tesla fans had figured the company would do, as the vehicle is primarily geared toward giving rides without any passenger intervention.
Starlink V5 directly integrated in Cybercab pic.twitter.com/FxzTtzjB6I
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 20, 2026
The ability to access the internet would allow riders to work or play in the car with their devices. It seemed like a more-than-reasonable feature to add to the Cybercab, which made its way off the production lines for the first time earlier this year.
Tesla reveals first vehicle model to receive Starlink integration
However, the move is not for the rider, as Elluswamy confirmed on Monday night. Instead, it’s actually for Tesla to be able to have a constant connection to the cars in the Robotaxi fleet so it can troubleshoot issues, contact riders, or resolve other issues.
Elluswamy said:
“It is still not required for safe operation of the vehicle. Connectivity is primarily meant for navigation, customer service and, in general, fleet management.”
It is still not required for safe operation of the vehicle. Connectivity is primarily meant for navigation, customer service and, in general, fleet management.
— Ashok Elluswamy (@aelluswamy) July 20, 2026
Many initially assumed the option of constant connectivity would be enabled on the Cybercab for passenger entertainment or work. With the Cybercab, passengers won’t be doing anything but enjoying the ride, so it seemed more than logical that they would be hanging out with Starlink internet access as an amenity.
However, Tesla’s primary concern with Robotaxi is safety, and nailing these first unsupervised rides is a crucial step to setting a good narrative on how effective driverless transportation can be.
Being able to get in touch with passengers or a vehicle if something is wrong is a crucial part of the overall experience, and preventative measures are being taken by Tesla to ensure a smooth process, even in the worst-case.
Tesla expands ridesharing service in California to new hotspot
Tesla reveals 2026 Summer Update with crazy fixes to Nav and more
