Motivation

Human manipulation relies fundamentally on rich tactile and kinesthetic feedback to regulate forces, adapt to contact conditions, and achieve fine motor control. In contrast, many robotic manipulation systems continue to depend predominantly on vision and open-loop strategies, limiting robustness in contact-rich and uncertain environments. While major advances have been achieved in robotic grasping, learning-based control, and actuation technologies, the systematic integration of haptic feedback as a core component of dexterous manipulation remains underdeveloped.

This workshop explores how recent progress in tactile sensing, haptic interface design, contact modeling, and bio-inspired actuation can be integrated into modern robotic manipulation frameworks. By bringing together perspectives from robotics, haptics, human–robot interaction, and industry, the workshop aims to bridge currently fragmented efforts and promote a unified approach toward haptic-enabled dexterity.

Through invited talks, structured discussion, and an interactive poster session, participants will identify current limitations and promising directions for research and translation. With robotic systems increasingly deployed in real-world environments, IROS 2026 provides a timely forum to address the gap between advances in manipulation algorithms and the sensing capabilities required for robust physical interaction.

Goals

The goal of this workshop is to advance the role of haptics as a key enabling modality for dexterous robotic manipulation. Specifically, the workshop aims to:

  • Highlight recent advances in tactile sensing, haptic actuation, and interface design that enable improved manipulation capabilities in robotic and human–machine systems.
  • Identify critical technical challenges and research gaps in tactile sensing, contact modeling, and haptic rendering that currently limit manipulation performance.
  • Promote interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration among researchers working across robotics, haptics, tactile sensing, and human perception.
  • Discuss emerging application domains for haptic-enabled dexterous systems, including teleoperation, advanced manufacturing, assistive robotics, and rehabilitation technologies.

Format

The workshop is a half-day (4.5 hour) morning session built around five invited keynotes, a round table with all of the speakers, and an interactive poster session with networking. See the full program for details.

Practical Information

   
Conference IROS 2026, September 27 – October 1, 2026
Workshop date Thursday, October 1, 2026, 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Location David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Registration Open to all registered IROS 2026 participants; no separate workshop registration is required
Posters 22 accepted posters presented during the poster session (see the list)

Organizers

The workshop is organized by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Texas A&M University, and MIT. See the organizers page for the full committee.

Contact

Questions about the workshop? Reach us at hapticsworkshop@gmail.com.