Overview
Workshops will be held at the Santa Maria della Scala, on Monday, July 6th. The full program is available here.
All participants must be registered for the conference. Workshop-only registration is available at a discounted rate.
Detailed Program
Full-day workshop (9:00 – 17:00)
Morning Workshops (9:00 – 12:00)
| Haptic Design – From Mechanical Illusion to Phygital Reality |
| Where: Italo Calvino |
| Abstract: This workshop addresses a gap in the haptics community: the systematic design of haptic quality across technologies, industries, and user contexts. While actuator technology, rendering algorithms, and psychophysical knowledge have advanced significantly, the translation of this knowledge into coherent, convincing haptic product experiences remains under applied. Haptic design is not a cosmetic layer – it is the decisive factor for product acceptance and market success. The workshop brings together five distinguished practitioners and researchers from automotive, gaming, academia, and interactive art to share complementary perspectives on what constitutes excellent haptic design, and to demonstrate concrete methodologies for achieving it. For example, the perfect haptic illusion – where users cannot distinguish what they perceive from physical reality – is one shared aspiration. Participants will gain an understanding of principles and contexts, as well as concrete approaches for designing haptic systems efficiently and successfully, from passive control elements and multimodal textures to integration into ecosystems. |
| Organizers: Jörg Reisinger (reisinger engineering GmbH, Germany) |
| More info |
| Tactile image reading, a method of workshops |
| Where: Cappella del Manto |
| Abstract: As images permeate our societies, our school textbooks, our daily lives and our modes of communication, it seems important not to exclude people with a visually impairment (VI: blind and low vision) from this medium, even if it is unrealistic to claim comprehensive access to images (in terms of both quality and quantity). The renewed workshops presented here aim to bridge the existing antagonism between images and visual impairment. We present a workshop and its method to develop primary skills in reading tactile images. Core skills in tactile image reading have been identified, and training in these skills is being delivered through introductory workshops. Drawing on our experience in running these workshops, we would like to present our method here, a method intended for wider dissemination. In a frame-within-a-frame presentation, we propose, during the session, to organise a workshop as we are used to running them, to present the method, to allow time for discussion to refine it, and finally to present additional activities based on the resources produced by the Department of adapted documents for people with a VI (SDADV) of the INSEI. |
| Organizers: Mathieu Gaborit (INSEI/Grhapes); Anne Chotin (INSEI/Grhapes) |
| More info |
| Why Doesn’t This Texture Feel Right? A Hands-On Workshop on Data-Driven Haptic Texture Reproduction and Typical Pitfalls |
| Where: San Pio |
| Abstract: Accurately reproducing real-world texture sensations remains a long-standing challenge in haptics, as the perceptual realism of rendered textures depends not only on the underlying texture representation but also on recording conditions and transfer characteristics of the rendering devices. This half-day, hands-on workshop introduces participants to a complete pipeline for this process, encompassing data-driven texture acquisition, modeling, and rendering. Working in small groups, participants will learn how to properly record finger–surface interactions, analyze the captured signals, and construct both low- and high-dimensional representations of textures. These models will then be rendered using different tactile actuators, allowing participants to directly experience how device properties and modeling choices influence the resulting percepts. Through guided experiments, participants will explore how variations in recording conditions, actuator characteristics, and signal processing affect the fidelity of rendered textures. The workshop will also foster discussion on strategies to improve perceptual realism and achieve more robust cross-device texture rendering. |
| Organizers: Koen Wösten (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands); Jagan K. Balasubramanian (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands); Celal Umut Kenanoglu (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands); Paulina Gallego Perez (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands); Virginia Civeriati (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands); Yasemin Vardar (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands) |
| More info |
| Towards Cross-Platform Design Tools for Everyone |
| Where: Sant’Ansano |
| Abstract: The proliferation of premium haptics is fundamentally gated by content. Currently, designers are hindered by a fragmented ecosystem and a lack of intuitive, platform-agnostic tools for rapid haptic design, testing and deployment. This workshop addresses these gaps by introducing new open-sourced toolsets built to drive a universal, cross-platform standard for all haptic creators. The workshop offers a foundational introduction to haptic feedback and actuator mechanics, comparing core actuator technologies. Attendees will explore core design principles, analyzing key characteristics such as multimodal synchronization. Through a structured framework, sessions cover identifying user needs, real-world metaphors, and the critical choice between building realism and expanding perception. Featuring a technical deep dive, expert panels, and hands-on interactive demos, this session equips future haptic creators to design hardware-agnostic tactile experiences. |
| Organizers: Daniel Büttner (Independent, Germany), Neil Burdock (Meta, Germany), Rike Glaser (Meta, Germany), Hong Tan (Google, US) |
| More info |
Afternoon Workshops (14:00 – 17:00)
| From Research to Deployment: Standardization and Interoperability in Haptics |
| Where: San Pio |
| Abstract: This half-day workshop aims to accelerate the adoption of haptics standards by connecting academic researchers, industry practitioners, and standards bodies. We will (i) introduce the rationale and structure of recent haptics standards, (ii) showcase deployments and implementation experiences from industry, (iii) foster community exchange via dedicated poster and demo sessions, and (iv) consolidate feedback on gaps, priorities, and roadmaps for interoperable haptics ecosystems. The workshop aims to create an environment for shared interactions through a demo and poster session and a cross-stakeholder panel to discuss current and future haptics standards. |
| Organizers: Roope Raisamo (Tampere University, Finland & Nokia Technology Standards, Tampere, Finland); Ahmed Farooq (Tampere University, Finland); Eckehard Steinbach (Technical University of Munich, Germany); Lars Nockenberg (Technical University of Munich, Germany); Quentin Galvane (InterDigital R&D, Rennes, France); Philippe Guillotel (InterDigital R&D, Rennes, France); Qian Liu (Dalian University of Technology, China); Eric Vezzoli (Razer Inc., France) |
| More info |
| Print and Poke: Celebrating the Open-Source Movement in Haptics |
| Where: Italo Calvino |
| Abstract: Open-source initiatives are becoming increasingly vital to the advancement of haptics research, lowering the barrier to entry and fostering collaborative innovation across both hardware and software. This workshop aims to bring together creators, researchers, and industry professionals to explore the expanding landscape of open-source devices and software. We will take the opportunity to celebrate those who create and freely distribute tools that accelerate innovation within the haptics community. This half-day workshop will open with an interactive session to allow attendees to get hands-on with robust, affordable haptic devices that they can build in their own labs, as well as meeting and sharing ideas with their creators. Subsequently, experts will discuss the value of releasing haptics research, and particularly hardware development, to the community via open-source or DIY-friendly routes. Finally, a poster session will allow students to compete for small prizes to extend the work demonstrated via new technical advances or applications. The workshop will empower attendees to build upon existing foundations and drive the next wave of accessible haptic technology. |
| Organizers: Joshua Brown (Imperial College London, UK); Lynette Jones (MIT, USA) |
| More info |
| Towards a technology roadmap on haptics for telepresence: Understanding critical haptic technology needs and challenges to enable the future of telepresence systems |
| Where: Sant’Ansano |
| Abstract: The term ‘telepresence’ was popularized following its use in a 1980 article written by Marvin Minsky, MIT professor and pioneer in artificial intelligence. More than 45 years later Minsky’s dream is as current and compelling as ever, despite our efforts to develop and improve telepresence technologies. Haptics is one of the critical technologies to develop telepresence systems that might be able to bring the huge societal benefits Minsky predicted. Therefore, haptic technology was also key in the ANA Avatar XPRIZE that ran from 2018 to 2022. This workshop at Eurohaptics 2026 is intended to bring experts together to discuss the necessary haptic technology requirements for future telepresence systems that can make a positive impact on society. The results will culminate in a technology roadmap document on haptics for telepresence, which will be part of the generic IEEE Telepresence technology roadmap and disseminated through the IEEE Telepresence Initiative and its partners. |
| Organizers: Jan van Erp (TNO and University of Twente, The Netherlands), Claudio Pacchierotti (CNRS, France), Tiago Falk (INRS-EMT, University of Québec, Canada) |
| More info |
| Co-Designing a Fulfilling Mediated Hug: Mapping the Interaction, Consent, and Experience Space |
| Where: Cappella del Manto |
| Abstract: This workshop examines the design of a “fulfilling” robotic hug as a structured haptic interaction, rather than a narrow force-feedback problem. It focuses on the phases of a hug—pre-contact signaling, initiation, settling, sustained embrace, and release—and considers how consent, timing, and embodied experience operate across these stages. Bringing together researchers, designers, and industry practitioners, the workshop will map the design space of technology-mediated hugging and develop a shared interaction framework. The outcomes include (1) a structured design space for a robotic hug, with potential for a joint publication, and (2) a community research agenda, creating opportunities for participants to connect with others working on this design challenge. |
| Organizers: Dr. Dasha Kolesnyk (University of Amsterdam), Dr. Merel Jung (Tilburg University), Dr. Gijs Huisman (TU Delft), Dr. Judith Weda (University of Twente), Dr. Sima Ipakchian Askari (Vilans), Dr. Angelika Mader (University of Twente), Emil Gravier (University of Twente), Dr. Sebastian Schneider (University of Twente) |
| More info |