Toyota Boshoku Startup Forum Showcases VR Haptic Gloves and XR Innovation

Toyota Boshoku Corporation organized a startup forum on August 4 at its Sanage Plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, bringing together external companies to accelerate open innovation. The event was held in collaboration with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG) and highlighted technologies that could improve manufacturing processes and digital product development. The forum demonstrated how partnerships with emerging technology companies can support faster innovation while expanding opportunities in both industrial and digital mobility applications.

Among the manufacturing-focused demonstrations, Toyota Boshoku presented haptic gloves that were jointly developed with its investee, Melt Interface Technologies Inc, formerly known as Diver-X. Built on Melt's data glove technology, the solution captures and quantifies hand movements in real time while transmitting tactile feedback from machines directly to the user's hands. This capability enables engineers and designers to interact more naturally with virtual environments during product development and evaluation.

The company explained that the haptic glove technology is expected to shorten vehicle development timelines by allowing automotive cabin evaluations to be conducted within virtual reality environments. Engineers can assess interior layouts and user interactions before physical prototypes are produced, helping improve development efficiency while supporting faster design validation. The approach combines real-time motion tracking with tactile feedback to create a more immersive engineering workflow.

In addition to manufacturing applications, Toyota Boshoku introduced Mooks as an example of innovation in digital content services. The platform was developed through collaboration with Aval, a company specializing in XR services that combine real and virtual environments. Mooks delivers location-based content for vehicle occupants, demonstrating how immersive digital experiences can be integrated with connected mobility services through cross-reality technologies.

The startup forum reflected Toyota Boshoku's broader strategy of working with startups and technology partners to accelerate innovation across manufacturing and mobility solutions. By combining expertise in virtual reality, haptic interfaces, XR services, and connected experiences, the company aims to develop technologies that enhance both engineering efficiency and in-vehicle digital experiences while strengthening collaboration with external innovators.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was showcased at the Toyota Boshoku Startup Forum?
Toyota Boshoku showcased haptic gloves for virtual reality-based vehicle development and introduced the Mooks XR content platform during its startup forum. The event, held with MUFG, highlighted collaborations with Melt Interface Technologies and Aval to promote open innovation. The demonstrations focused on improving manufacturing efficiency through immersive engineering tools while also expanding digital, location-based experiences for vehicle occupants using cross-reality technologies.