Use of Materials Science to Understand Haptic Perception

Abstract

The haptic sense captures information arising from the somatosensory system─the sensor system of the body excluding the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue. That is, it captures stimuli arising from the skin (i.e., touch) and from internal structures (i.e., the musculoskeletal system and internal organs). The field of research called haptics is concerned with understanding and manipulating this sense, often using engineered technology, and usually for creating novel or realistic touch sensations. Fundamental to every tactile interaction is an interface between the skin and a material. Given that essentially all material objects are composed of or covered in organic media, we reasoned that we, as organic materials scientists, might be able to contribute to the understanding of the sense of touch by manipulating material properties on the molecular scale. Over time, our research group acquired additional skills in electrical engineering and developed strong collaborations with cognitive and behavioral scientists. With a shared curiosity about the sense of touch, we made what we believe are original contributions to the field of haptics.