Scientists have long believed that humans rely on six senses, but new research now suggests that we may possess a surprising seventh sense - “remote touch.” This sensory ability, observed earlier in birds like sandpipers, allows humans to detect objects without direct contact, challenging decades of assumptions about how touch truly works.

Presented at the IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning, the study reveals that our hands can sense tiny mechanical vibrations in materials such as sand or granular surfaces. These vibrations occur even before the skin touches an object, meaning the human touch system works at a precision level nearing theoretical limits.

Traditionally, touch was seen as a purely contact-based sense. But the new findings show that tactile receptors in our fingers may detect pressure shifts and mechanical reflections from hidden or buried objects. This expands the definition of touch and hints that our sensory perception is far more advanced than we understood.

Experts say this discovery could transform fields like robotics, prosthetics, and human-machine interaction, where replicating such high-precision sensing can lead to more responsive and lifelike systems.