Tactile display development: the driving-force for tactile sensor development

In human communication, entertainment, and "person-in-the-loop" control systems, display development naturally drives sensor development, not the reverse. In contrast, computer automated control systems do not in principle require physical displays, so sensor development can in principle proceed without any corresponding display development. We argue that even if our sensing goal is restricted to providing the computer with input about the task or the environment, as a practical matter sensor development cannot precede display development. The paper reviews the human tactile sensing system, a prototype tactile display device that employs a macroscopic electromechanical actuation system, and a prototype tactile display device that employs microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to fabricate electrostatically-operated tactile cells on a skin-like silicon mesh.