Podcast: The Haptics Club Kicks off Season 5
A smartwatch turned into a mouse, advanced haptic gloves, and robots with a sense of touch.
These represent some of the notable advancements in the haptics industry. Who better to learn about these innovations than from the inventors and experts themselves? This is a must-attend for engineers, product makers, decision makers, executives, and startup companies.
For those unfamiliar, The Haptics Club is a podcast dedicated to sharing knowledge about the haptics industry. The hosts, composed of Manuel Sainsily from Unity, Eric Vezzoli from Razer, Bryan Zaaijer from SenseGlove, and our very own Ashley Huffman, speak to experienced professionals from various fields to share their haptics journey and offer their thoughts and insights on the advancement of haptic technology.
The full guest list includes:
Jacob Segil of Afference (March 21, 2024)
CEO Jacob Segil works at Afference, which specializes in the development of The Phantom—a haptic glove designed to deliver feedback with precise finger-level detail through direct interaction with the nervous system. Founded by neural engineering specialists, the company draws upon a wealth of research in neural interfaces to enhance digital interaction experiences.
Philipp Sachs from Xeeltech (March 28, 2024)
Philip Sachs is the COO of XeelTech, which is a company that focuses on the development of haptic and adaptive damping technologies. The company offers smart rotary haptic actuators with programmable feedback, designed to enhance user interaction with products, and adaptive damping systems.
Shan Yuan Teng from University of Chicago (April 11, 2024)
Shaun Yuan Teng is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on developing the next generation of haptic interfaces for enhanced mobility and availability, similar to mobile phones and wearables. He has published 14 papers in top HCI conferences like ACM CHI & UIST, and received two Best Paper Awards and four Honorable Mentions.
Simon Frübis from Port 6 (April 25, 2024)
Simon Frübis is an XR Interaction Designer at DoublePoint, which focuses on designing natural, intuitive touch interactions in next-generation platforms. DoublePoint is best known for their App WowMouse, which allows you to turn your smartwatch into a computer mouse.
David Parisi from NYU (May 9, 2024)
David Parisi is a professor and scholar within the haptics field. Currently the Dibner Family Chair in the History & Philosophy of Technology & Science in New York University, David is the author of “Archeologies of Touch”, which details the first comprehensive history of haptic interfaces and how the endeavors of scientists and engineers over the past 300 years have gradually redefined our sense of touch.
David Resnick from Disney (May 23, 2024)
David Resnick is involved with Disney as a Senior Product Design Manager, focusing on Interactive & Gaming for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+. He is a multisensory creator, involved in developing and creating immersive, interactive and engaging products for a broad audience across Disney’s streaming platforms.
Femke Elise van Beek from Eindhoven University (June 6, 2024)
Femke Elise van Beek is a researcher specializing in haptic perception, with a background in the AR/VR industry. She was a former Perception Scientist at Meta and currently holds a position as an Assistant Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology and is a part of the 4TU Soft Robots Program. Her work involves using soft robots, inspired by the physical structures of octopus arms and elephant trunks, to create haptic feedback for applications in Virtual Reality and tele-operation.
Jake Rubin from HaptX (June 20, 2024)
Jake Rubin is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of HaptX Inc., which invents and builds wearable glove technology that simulates realistic touch. They aim to pioneer a new approach to haptics and thereby solving the current challenges of human-machine interaction.
If the past seasons are any indication, we’re in for a treat. This season will cover fascinating topics such as haptics design, haptics perception, artificial intelligence within the haptics industry, and the future of haptics technologies.
The Haptics Club Podcast returns on March 21, 2024. To learn more, check out the Haptics Club website here.