Darefest16

A wealth of interconnected devices is penetrating our daily lives at an increasing rate. While many of these devices communicate with us through visual and auditory information, a new wave of second skin connected devices, like smart watches, unlocks a new interaction paradigm: touch.

Our sense of touch is a complex sense capable of detailed information processing, for example, the various vibration notifications received through wearables. However, touch can also be a rich source of affect, and emotional experiences. Some of the most emotion-laden experiences in our lives involve touch: the soothing feeling of a warm bath, the desirable feel of an exquisite dress, a relaxing massage, or a hug from a loved one.

Tapping into the affective aspects of our sense of touch could provide a whole new way for interacting with technology. Exactly how this should be achieved is still an open question. The social nature of touch offers one possibility: can we somehow emulate the intense feeling of a human touch through technology? And if so, how should such a touch feel, and how should it make us feel?