Human fingertips are marvelously sensitive to minute variations in surface properties and contact conditions, providing the soft medium that enables dexterous manipulation. Although we use them constantly, fingertips are not yet fully understood, nor are all the mechanisms that underpin haptic perception, action, and learning. How do the geometrical and material properties of a fingertip affect its physical interactions and the way those interactions are perceived? We investigate both natural finger-surface contact and fingertip interactions with different kinds of haptic interfaces.
Some of our work in this research field aims to unravel the complex phenomena of contact between skin and natural objects, investigating physics, perception, and the link between them. We also investigate the mechanisms used to display artificial haptic cues in order to understand and thereby improve their performance. Such projects often employ high-fidelity external motion, force/torque, and acceleration sensors that capture the physical details of the interaction as it unfolds. Finally, we seek to invent and understand new haptic rendering technologies for the fingertips, so that we can better control their mechanical and perceptual effects on the human user.
