When machines touch back : simulating-- and stimulating-- the most intimate of senses

Thomas Massie invented the Phantom, a computer peripheral for simulating the sense of touch, that became the de facto device for haptics research. The thesis recounts the story of Massie, his invention, and present and potential applications as varied as telesurgery and teledildonics. Along the way the thesis explores the science of touch and considers the implications of the fact that perhaps the most reassuring and intimate of senses can be simulated.

Department dc:contributor.department

MIT Program in Writing & Humanistic Studies.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Bullis, Kevin (Kevin James)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Boyce Rensberger.

• Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39438

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/39438