Haptic interfaces are divided into two main categories: force feedback and tactile. Force feedback interfaces are used to explore and modify remote/virtual objects in three physical dimensions in applications including computer-aided design, computer-assisted surgery, and computer-aided assembly. Tactile interfaces deal with surface properties such as roughness, smoothness, and temperature. Haptic research is intrinsically multi-disciplinary, incorporating computer science/engineering, control, robotics, psychophysics, and human motor control. By extending the scope of research in haptics, advances can be achieved in existing applications such as computer-aided design (CAD), tele-surgery, rehabilitation, scientific visualization, robot-assisted surgery, authentication, and graphical user interfaces (GUI), to name a few. Advances in Haptics presents a number of recent contributions to the field of haptics. Authors from around the world present the results of their research on various issues in the field of haptics.

"Sense of Touch and its Rendering" presents a unique and interdisciplinary approach highlighting the field of haptic research from a neuropsychological as well as a technological point of view. This edited book is the outcome of the TOUCH-HapSys European research project and provides an important contribution towards a new generation of high-fidelity haptic display technologies. The book is structured in two parts: A. Fundamental Psychophysical and Neuropsychological Research and B. Technology and Applications. The two parts are not however separated, and the many connections and synergies between the two complementary domains of research are highlighted in the text. The eleven chapters discuss the recent advances in the study of human haptic (kinaesthetic, tactile, temperature) and multimodal (visual, auditory, haptic) perception mechanisms. Besides the theoretical advancement, the contributions survey the state of the art in the field, report a number of practical applications to real systems, and discuss possible future developments.

Are you a technologist or innovator looking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of haptic technology? "Advances, Applications and the Future of Haptic Technology" is your essential guide to understanding and predicting trends that can shape how you use haptics in your products and strategies. This book begins by defining haptic technology and its classifications. It then traces the evolution of haptic feedback systems and explores their historical significance. Through real-world case studies, the book demonstrates how haptic feedback is reshaping industries like healthcare and gaming, enhancing medical training, and creating immersive gaming experiences. For innovators, the book addresses the challenges of implementing haptic technology across various domains, highlighting technical complexities and ergonomic considerations. For technologists, this book provides insights into the trade-offs of adopting haptics, examining the evolution of these systems with a focus on personal communication devices and the automotive industry. It also analyzes the factors influencing impact and features foresight frameworks to provide you with strategies for the future of haptic innovation. Additionally, the book explores intellectual property trends in the health, gaming, and automotive sectors to highlight key haptic innovations. Get your copy today and harness haptic technology to shape your future!

For a long time, human beings have dreamed of a virtual world where it is possible to interact with synthetic entities as if they were real. It has been shown that the ability to touch virtual objects increases the sense of presence in virtual environments. This book provides an authoritative overview of state-of-theart haptic rendering algorithms

This book is the first resource to provide in-depth coverage on topical areas of assistive, rehabilitative, and health-related applications for haptic (touch-based) technologies. Application topics are grouped into thematic areas spanning haptic devices for sensory impairments, health and well-being, and physical impairments which are illustrated in this book. A diverse group of experts in the field were invited to contribute different chapters to provide complementary and multidisciplinary perspectives. Unlike other books on haptics, which focus on human haptic perception, specific modalities of haptics (e.g., realistic haptic rendering), or broadly cover the subfields of haptics, this book takes an application-oriented approach to present a tour of how the field of haptics has been advanced with respect to important, impactful thematic focuses. Under Theme 1 “Sensory Impairments”, haptics technologies to support individuals with sensory impairments is presented which includes: Spatial awareness in sensory impairments through touch; Haptically-assisted interfaces for persons with visual impairments; and Enabling learning experiences for visually impaired children by interaction design. Under Theme 2 “Haptics for Health and Well-Being”, haptics technologies aimed at supporting exercise and healthy aging will be covered including: Haptics in rehabilitation, exergames and health; Therapeutic haptics for mental health and well-being; and Applications of haptics in medicine. Under Theme 3 “Haptics for Physical Impairments”, haptics technologies for enhancing the quality of life for individuals with weakened/impaired limbs or neurological diseases impacting movement is targeted including: Assistive soft exoskeletons with pneumatic artificial muscles; Haptics for accessibility in rehabilitative hardware; and intelligent robotics and immersive displays for enhancing haptic interaction in physical rehabilitation environments. Engineers, scientists, and researchers working in the areas of haptics, multimedia, virtual/augmented/mixed-reality, human-computer interaction, assistive technologies, rehabilitative technologies, healthcare technologies, and/or actuator design will want to purchase this book. Advanced level students and hobbyists interested in haptics will also be interested in this book.