The term haptics in its broadest sense relates to the study of touch and the cutaneous senses. The word itself derives from the Greek haptikos, able to touch. The aim of this paper is to review the research on haptics from its foundations in the work of Ernst Weber to the later work of David Katz and others. The paper considers the relationship between touch and vision, and the implications of this research for thinking about the making of art.

 

In addition to the main paper this issue also contains a guide to digital haptics applications. The guide looks at the benefits for design offered by rapid advances in digital technologies for interaction and visualisation. A number of haptics devices and systems are reviewed.

About the Authors

David Prytherch is an internationally recognised freelance glass engraver and sculptor whose work has been purchased by many private and public collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and the Corning Museum of Glass, New York. He has done extensive work in haptics research and applies his creativity to fields of Human/Computer interaction and perceptual design as well as digital and sonic arts.

 

Mairghread McLundie is a Ph.D. student and Research Assistant at the Digital Design Studio, Glasgow School of Art. Her doctoral research is concerned with future digital environments for design.