The Haptic Creature
The Robot
My research approach was to leverage research in human-animal interaction through use of a robotic creature that mimics a small animal, such as a cat or dog, sitting on a person’s lap. The Haptic Creature interacts with the human through the modality of touch. An array of touch sensors over its body, coupled with an accelerometer, allow the robot to sense being touched and moved. It displays its emotional state through adjusting the stiffness of its ears, modulating its breathing, and presenting a vibrotactile purr.