Sensory Perception & Interaction, Research Group

Haptic feedback is a design element for human-computer
interfaces, and this paper discusses when and how it can
be used to best effect in interactive applications. It begins
with consideration of the unique attributes of the touch
sense in physiological and psychological terms, and the
nature of information and control that touching provides.
It reviews where active touching helps, by setting forth the
forms it may take and important parameters that describe
it; and evaluates the specific benefits it offers to
contemporary interface problems. It ends with a proposal
for a simple interaction model that emphasizes holistic
design principles, and highlights issues that arise in the
process of creating specific haptic interfaces.