Reflecting the interdependent and context-dependent nature of sensory perception in the design of interfaces to computer-mediated tools and environments.

Welcome to the home page of the Palpable Machines Research Group, based at Media Lab Europe, the European research partner of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's world renowned Media Lab. Recently formed by Dr Sile O'Modhrain the group brings together researchers from diverse backgrounds with the common goal of investigating applications involving haptics - otherwise known as the sense of touch.

In the work of the Palpable Machines group, we aim to develop design principles that reflect the interdependent and context-dependent nature of sensory perception. Through a continuously evolving series of demonstration applications, we explore how such a model of perception can be supported by interfaces that are rich in sensory cues.

A current focus of our work is the sense of touch. By extending someone’s sense of touch beyond the boundaries of their body to environments beyond their reach, we not only provide a richer sensory experience, but also explore what it means to act upon and react to the unreachable - the very small, very large, or very distant. Specifically, current projects explore concepts such as conveying motion cues from distant and virtual environments (Relay, Touching Tales), conveying the tactile form of distant objects (Tactus) and conveying a sense of distant people (Contact IM, CommTouch).

We also recently co-hosted the EuroHaptics 2003 conference with Trinity College Dublin.