Grandfather’s tears fuel research into tactile internet – ultra-low-latency tech that allows ‘virtual touching’

Researcher Zhanwei Hou had never seen his father cry until a video call involving Hou’s newborn child, who his parents had been unable to visit in person

Now he’s making strides in technology where users can ‘touch’ over the internet, which has applications from medical diagnoses to shopping

Reading Time:3 minutes

University of Sydney researcher Zhanwei Hou holds his son Baoxi during a video call with his parents, who have been unable to visit their first grandchild because of the pandemic. Photo: The University of Sydney / Louise M Cooper

Published: 12:15pm, 7 Jul 2021

In October last year, Sydney-based couple Zhanwei Hou and Haiqin Li welcomed a healthy baby boy. For the first-time parents, the arrival of Baoxi brought a lot of joy – and a tinge of sadness.

Travel bans and border closures introduced to control the spread of Covid-19 have divided families and loved ones, and Australia has some of the strictest border restrictions in the world. This means Hou’s parents – who live in the Chinese city of Zhangjiakou, in Hebei province – have not been able to visit.

“It’s been very tough. My parents have not been able to cuddle their only grandchild,” says Hou via Zoom from Sydney, which is currently in lockdown as the city battles an outbreak of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

The last time Hou saw his parents was Christmas 2019. His wife’s parents are also in China, along with his wife’s brother and two nieces.

Hou with his wife Haiqin Li and son Baoxi at their home in Sydney. Photo: The University of Sydney / Louise M Cooper

While families have stayed connected via computers and mobile phones during the pandemic thanks to video calls and the sharing of photos, they are missing personal contact.

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