Wearable Haptics to Reduce Cognitive Overload in Military Pilots

The third sensory channel Wearable Haptics to Address Cognitive Overload in Military Aviation

2026-05-01 From Emma Tschürtz, Martin Romero, Charlotte Kjellander/Touchwaves 6 min Reading Time

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The Netherlands is investing in the next generation of wearable haptic technology for military pilots. Backed by Secfund (Dutch Ministry of Defence) and selected for the EU's EUDIS accelerator, Touchwaves is addressing cognitive overload where conventional systems fall short: through touch.

Touchwaves’ haptic technology is designed for seamless, low-profile integration into standard-issue flight gear, providing critical sensory data without adding bulk or restricting movement

(Source: Touchwaves)

Human error contributes to approximately 80% of non-combat aviation mishaps, leading to the loss of multi-million dollar assets and, most critically, pilots themselves. At the root of many of these incidents are two interconnected challenges: cognitive overload and degraded situational awareness. For decades, the response has been to improve what pilots can see and hear in the cockpit. Yet the problem persists. Touchwaves, a Dutch deep-tech startup and TNO spin-off, is taking a different approach by leveraging an underutilised third sensory channel: touch.

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