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Research Outlook

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Human-Robot Body Experience

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Touch and Haptic Systems ((SSTHS))

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Abstract

Haptic interaction plays a crucial role in achieving the embodiment of robotic devices. This chapter suggests future research directions with respect to bi-directional human-machine interfaces and considering the whole variety of the sense of touch. Aiming at robotic devices that “feel good”, robots equipped with bi-directional human-machine interfaces can support neuroscientific studies to understand human cognition and identify technological challenges. To this end, a research roadmap suggests how to use technologies like haptic feedback with high spatial density and expansion, semi-autonomy, as well as intent detection. While multi-faceted tactile feedback is scarcely considered, it comprises highly relevant facets such as affective touch, social touch, or self-touch. Those kinds of feedback include non-instrumental aspects, might make a decisive contribution to device embodiment, and would benefit from technological developments of bi-directional interfaces. Discussing the related potentials, the content of this monograph is concluded and directions for cognitive modeling and human-in-the-loop experiments are discussed.

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  1. Chair of Autonomous Systems and Mechatronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Philipp Beckerle

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Beckerle, P. (2021). Research Outlook. In: Human-Robot Body Experience. Springer Series on Touch and Haptic Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38688-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38688-7_8

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