Mid January 2015, we visited Edward Colgate, who has dedicated most of his career to the study of haptic interface and who works closely with Microsoft Research. We’ve also met Joe Mullenbach and Craig Schultz, the doctoral students and engineers at Northwestern University, USA.

Ed is the leading inventor in the field of haptics (sixteen issued patents with several more pending). He is recognized worldwide for seminal contributions to the design and control of haptic interfaces.

First, we were led by Ed and Joe to the University lab where they showed us newest haptic technology devices, ultrasonic and vibrotactile technology included. Various tactile sensations of textures, shapes and bumps produced by technology are definitely the future of the technology-mediated interaction.

Then, we had the pleasure to visit Ed’s spin-off Tangible Haptics and meet his team of engineers. We could again experience another type of haptic technology incorporating electrostatics to produce surface haptics. We chatted and exchanged thoughts and ideas about potential application of the haptic feedback.

Testing all these technologies proved not only to be revealing experience as to how we can interact with surfaces in the future but a great fun for our fingers too!