Haptic devices create or measure tactile sensations for the human perception of touch. Applications for haptic devices are far-reaching, from virtual or augmented reality to prosthetics, telesurgery, rehabilitation, and education. However, there are technical and scientific challenges behind fabricating lightweight and flexible devices, measuring or mimicking natural tactile stimuli, and fundamental knowledge between material properties and tactile sensations. The human-machine interface in haptic devices is mechanically complex and currently poorly served by materials innovations. The goal of this symposium is to bring together experts in haptics devices and systems with experts in soft matter chemistry, mechanical actuation and contact mechanics.

This symposium will cover applied and fundamental haptics materials research. Topics include the device engineering of soft robotics to actively create or measure tactile sensations, stimuli-responsive materials for actuation, and fundamental work on connecting material properties and mechanical stimuli to human perception. Advances in haptic interfaces will require an interdisciplinary team representing materials sciences, contact mechanics, robotics, device engineering, human psychophysics, and neuromechanics. We hope that this symposium will bridge haptics and materials innovation to generate new interdisciplinary ideas and collaborations.

biomaterial coating film polymer sensor tribology viscoelasticity