ULTRALEAP LIMITED

Their core work

Ultraleap is a Bristol-based technology SME specializing in mid-air haptic feedback — the ability to create tactile sensations in open air using focused ultrasound. Their core technology lets users feel virtual buttons, textures, and shapes without touching any physical surface. They apply this across virtual/augmented reality, touchless interfaces, and increasingly in robotics and prosthetics, bridging the gap between digital content and human touch perception.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Ultraleap's early H2020 work (2015–2018) centered on proving and refining their core ultrasonic haptics technology — building multisensory displays, exploring multimodal interaction, and integrating haptic feedback into VR/AR environments. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward the science of touch itself: neural coding, neuromorphic engineering, neuro-cognitive models, and AI-enabled texture generation. This evolution signals a company moving from hardware demonstration to deeper understanding of human perception and intelligent haptic content creation.

Ultraleap is moving from pure haptic hardware toward AI and neuroscience-informed haptic experiences, positioning themselves at the intersection of touch technology and cognitive science.

How they like to work

Ultraleap operates as both a project leader and a valued specialist partner. They coordinated 2 of their 6 projects (UTOUCH and E-TEXTURES) while contributing domain expertise to larger research consortia in the other four. With 29 unique partners across 12 countries, they maintain a broad European network rather than relying on a few repeat collaborators — making them an accessible and well-connected partner for new consortia.

Ultraleap has built a diverse network of 29 consortium partners spanning 12 countries, indicating strong pan-European reach. Their partnerships span both academic research groups (MSCA, FET projects) and industry-oriented consortia.

What sets them apart

Ultraleap is one of very few companies globally that has commercialized mid-air haptic technology based on focused ultrasound. Their H2020 portfolio shows a rare combination: they are both a technology provider with a real product and an active research collaborator pushing the boundaries of touch science. For any consortium needing haptic feedback, touchless interaction, or sensory interfaces, Ultraleap brings both working technology and deep research credibility that is hard to find elsewhere.

Highlights from their portfolio

• UTOUCH
  Their largest project (EUR 1.49M) and first coordination role — established Ultraleap's mid-air haptics as a viable research platform.
• TOUCHLESS
  Most recent major project (EUR 877K) combining their haptics expertise with neurocognitive AI, representing their current strategic direction.
• NeuTouch
  A stretch into robotics and prosthetics via neural touch coding — shows their technology's potential beyond consumer interfaces into medical and industrial applications.