Introduction to Haptics: How Devices Can Emulate Touch

Here is the Table of Contents from a sample chapter of "Touch in Virtual
Environments: Haptics and the Design of Interactive Systems" by: Joao P.
Hespanha, Margaret L. McLaughlin, and Gaurav S. Sukhatme. Notice there is a
section on Assistive Technology for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It is
provided courtesy of Prentice Hall PTR. 


Researchers working in the field of haptics are concerned with the
development, testing, and refinement of tactile and force feedback devices
and supporting software that permit users to sense ("feel") and manipulate
three-dimensional virtual objects with respect to such features as shape,
weight, surface textures, and temperature. Learn how can a device emulate the
sense of touch. 

Overview 
  Haptic Devices 
Representative Applications of Haptics
  Surgical Simulation and Medical Training 
  Museum Display 
  Painting, Sculpting, and CAD 
  Visualization 
  Military Applications 
  Interaction Techniques 
  Assistive Technology for the Blind and Visually Impaired 
Issues in Haptic Rendering
  Acquisition of Models 
  Latency 
  Contact Detection 
  Force Feedback 
  Capture, Storage, and Retrieval of Haptic Data 
  Haptic Data Compression 
  Haptic Collaboration 
Human Factors
  Machine Haptics 
References

Read the entire document at:
http://www.resna.org/sigs/sig11/archive/haptics.htm

Contributed by Marsha Allen