Haptic Human-Computer Interaction

Book excerpt: Haptic human-computer interaction is interaction between a human computer user and the computer user interface based on the powerful human sense of touch. Haptic hardware has been discussed and exploited for some time, particularly in the context of computer games. However, so far, little attention has been paid to the general principles of haptic HCI and the systematic use of haptic devices for improving efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction in HCI. This book is the first one to focus on haptic human-computer interaction. It is based on a workshop held in Glasgow, UK, in August / September 2000. The 22 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 35 submissions. Besides a brief historic survey, the book offers topical sections on haptic interfaces for blind people, collaborative haptics, psychological issues and measurement, and applications of haptics.