A pet robot that communicates with humans only by touch is being used to probe the way the oft-neglected sense bolsters our emotional relationships. The findings could be used to make humans' relationships with robots and other pieces of technology more emotionally rewarding.

Steve Yohanan at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, says that robotics researchers too often neglect haptics – touch – as a form of communication. Vision and sound have been concentrated on instead.

But missing out tactility has a detrimental effect on the quality of the interaction, he says. "I'm trying to provide a deeper experience by adding touch," says Yohanan.   Read More...