Hands-on research and prototyping for haptics
While many of us think of human-computer interaction as a job for the eyes, ears and mind, we don’t think as often about the importance and complexity of our tactile interactions with computers. Haptics – the sense of touch or tactile sensations – permeates our computing experience, though we are often so habituated to it that it goes unnoticed. Consider the feeling of resistance and key travel that moderates your typing speed and confirms that your key presses are working, a palpable “click” on the mouse or touchpad that confirms an action, the patterns of vibration in your pocket or on your wrist to signal a notification or incoming call, or the subtle vibration you experience on some mobile phones when typing on a touchscreen keyboard.