Special Issue on Haptics: Interfaces, Applications, and Perception

Abstract

The last decade has seen significant advances in research on haptics and haptic interfaces. Device performance has improved, and the many commercial devices now available at reasonable prices indicate how haptic research will grow and new applications involving haptics will touch all aspects of daily life. Sophisticated systems require research beyond physical devices, such as modeling the physical properties of virtual objects, human physiology, and haptic evaluation. This special issue focuses on state-of-the-art design and development of haptic interfaces and explores potential applications of this technology and related issues such as tactile display, haptic rendering, physiology, and evaluation methodologies. The 15 papers were selected after a rigorous peer review from around the world and include diverse topics such as haptic device design and technology, tactile display and tactile sensing, collaborative multiuser haptic environments, haptic cognition, haptic rendering, tele-existence and multimodal interaction, and medical and rehabilitation applications. We thank the Editorial Board of JRM Journal for making this special issue possible. We also thank the authors for contributing their fine work and revising their papers for this issue, and extend our thanks and appreciation to the reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions.