[D93] Exploring haptic feedback for the Pisa/IIT SoftHand

The Pisa/IIT SoftHand was built to incorporate human movement synergies into the mechanical design to build a smarter robotic hand. In the evolution of the SoftHand from robotic to prosthetic hand, we have begun experimenting with several types of haptic feedback to improve both the functionality and the feel of the hand. Here, we will demonstrate the use of the hand with three types of feedback: vibrotactile force feedback, mechanotactile force feedback, and vibrotactile surface texture feedback. Vibrotactile stimulus is a common modality for force feedback; here, participants will be able to compare it first-hand to mechanotactile force feedback. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore different surfaces through vibrotactile feedback. While further testing and refinement is needed, the goal of this feedback is to make prosthetic hand use more intuitive, thus improving the user´s experience and outcome as well as the sense of ownership of the hand.