This unique monograph explores the science and technology of touch, bridging human tactile perception and advanced haptic interfaces. Aimed at researchers and designers in haptics, it shows how understanding skin biomechanics leads to more intuitive haptic systems.

Starting with how mechanical signals processed by the skin produce tactile sensations, it emphasizes the importance of skin deformation patterns correlated with psychophysical responses, highlighting individual differences in tactile sensitivity. It presents practical design principles for sensors and actuators that replicate natural touch and discusses system integration using AI models to predict user experiences and adapt haptic feedback to individual needs. Additionally, it explores designing artificial skin that emulates human skin behavior and natural sensory processing. Concluding with future directions, it advocates for human-centered systems offering consistent tactile experiences across user groups to enhance accessibility and usability.

Dr. Bingxu Li is Chief Technology Officer at SmartHap, a haptic technology company based in Virginia, USA. Dr. Tyler Cody is Chief Executive Officer at SmartHap, as well as Associate Professor of Data Science at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, where he serves as Director of the Artificial General Intelligence Lab.

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Dr. Bingxu Li is Chief Technology Officer at SmartHap, a haptic technology company based in Virginia, USA. Bingxu received her Ph.D. in Systems Engineering in 2023 from the University of Virginia, where she researched haptic science, focusing on the relationship between skin mechanics and psychophysics as well as how that relationship varies across individuals. Her current research focuses on artificial skin, including sensing and actuation mechanisms for recreating the human sense of touch. Bingxu has received significant recognition for her first-authored work, including the IEEE Transactions on Haptics 2024 Best Paper Award, a cover mention in the Journal of Physiology, and expositions on her research in University of Virginia's UVA Daily News and the global publisher ATLAS News, among other best paper awards. Dr. Tyler Cody is Chief Executive Officer at SmartHap, as well as Associate Professor of Data Science at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, where he serves as Director of the Artificial General Intelligence Lab. Tyler received his Ph.D. in Systems Engineering in 2021 from the University of Virginia. His research interests include advancing the systems engineering discipline with formalism and first principles that address the novel systems challenges introduced by artificial intelligence, a research area where haptic technology provides a canonical domain. His research has received several best paper awards, including a career publication award from the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) in 2024 for his work on best practices for testing machine learning.