The research field of haptics is gaining momentum across all industries. A detailed article in Der Spiegel illustrates the relevance of transferring the physical sense of touch to the digital world.
The research of Katherine J. Kuchenbecker, Director of the Haptic Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, and Principal Investigator at the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC, is of significant value to the field of computational construction and the scientific work within the Cluster. Kuchenbecker and her team are developing "sensing" robots for the precise execution of complex assembly processes by cyber-physical on-site assembly platforms. At the same time, the researchers are looking for ways to transfer this haptic information from the robot's gripper arm back to a human via digital sensory transmission paths in order to create an intuitive user interface that will allow humans to directly control the robot's movements by touch if necessary. Therefore, it's not just about measuring tactile stimuli, but also generating them artificially - and not just pressure and temperature, but also materiality and moisture, for example.
Johann Grolle, author of the article "The Secret of Touch" ("Geheimnis des Berührens") published in the German magazine Der Spiegel no. 36/2024 (publication date 31.08.24), calls Katherine J. Kuchenbecker the "Queen of Haptics", echoing a title coined by a New Yorker journalist before him. It refers to Kuchenbecker's extensive research into transferring the sense of touch to the digital world for a wide range of applications, including telemedicine, haptic navigation devices for the blind, and assistive tools for caregivers. The article embeds the research of the Haptic Intelligence Department into a universal framework that goes far beyond the boundaries of the construction industry. IntCDC congratulates Katherine J. Kuchenbecker and the Haptic Intelligence Department on this great article in Der Spiegel's Science section!
Read more:
- https://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/haptik-forschung-raetsel-des-knuddelns-a-f50c8283-38d8-427a-aefb-aadeeccc4e61?context=issue
- https://www.intcdc.uni-stuttgart.de/research/research-projects/rp-16/
- https://www.intcdc.uni-stuttgart.de/research/research-projects/rp-16-2/
- https://youtu.be/pBSr8DwNzvQ