Computers are great for the eyes and ears.

But it's a 3-D world out there, and the only sense of touch one experiences on a computer is the feel of the keyboard and mouse.

Now a research professor in Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute is singing his own laboratory version of "Feelings."

Ralph Hollis and his research team have created a magnetic levitation haptic technology that allows one to feel 3-D objects and what's happening to them on the computer screen.

With his device, it's possible to feel textures and vibrations as one drags a virtual point across virtual surfaces on the screen, be they smooth, ridged, rough or rumble strips. Or one can lift little blocks, work a seesaw and roll balls around a playground while feeling the weight of each object and the impact as they bump and collide.

In another demonstration, one can trace one's virtual finger over a rabbit to feel the curves of its face or outline of its nose, ears or body. You don't feel the fur, but you definitely feel the shapes.

Dr. Hollis said his technology provides "the most realistic sense of touch" of any haptic technology. Haptic refers to sense of touch.

It's also the first system not to use a mechanical device to create a sense of feel. The unique sensitivity of the system approaches that of human touch, Dr. Hollis said.

The device has applications in research and simulations that require precision. It can be used to train dentists and surgeons. Uses also include computer design, robot control and the physics of earthquakes, among many other applications that require real-life simulation of touch.

Dr. Hollis and his wife, Beth, have formed Butterfly Haptics LLC to produce and sell the system, beginning in June or July. Price is expected to be less than $50,000, he said.

"This is really exciting technology that we're just now getting out into the world after a lot of work," Dr. Hollis said, noting he first began working on the idea in 1996.

It's too expensive for commercial applications like computer games. But the handle can be changed to a joystick, pen or precision grip, and even a device to grasp images on the screen, depending on the application.

Key to the technology is a bowl-shaped device called a "flotor" embedded with six coils of wire, each with electric current flowing through it. Magnets beneath them cause the flotor to levitate.

The handle moves in any direction. Optical sensors measure the position and orientation of the flotor and the information is used to control the position and orientation of a virtual object on the computer display. When items interact, a signal from the computer is sent back to the flotor, which creates a simulated sensation of what is being visualized on screen.

The device can create virtual touch that's accurate "down to the micro scale," Dr. Hollis said.

Dr. Hollis said his team will demonstrate the new maglev haptic interfaces late next week at a haptic interfaces conference in in Reno, Nev.

Ten devices already are built, and six will be sent to other members of the Maglev Haptic Consortium.

Hong Z. Tan, associate professor in electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University, said Dr. Hollis' invention represents "superior technology."

"What is so clever about maglev is it floats in the air of a magnetic field, so you don't have any of the problems that mechanical systems have," said Dr. Tan, who studies haptics. "This is very good for precision tasks."

The key limitation, she said, is that the device cannot simulate something requiring full arm motion. So the focus must be precise tasks requiring limited motion.

Still, Dr. Tan said, "This is a great device."