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Open research questions in Tactile and Sensory Interactions

68 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 531 Tactile and Sensory Interactions papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The need for physical handling to collect haptic perceptual ratings. The reliance on visual and textual associations rather than on actual thermal or compliance cues.

    HapCap: Estimating Haptic Adjectives with Vision-Language Model for Dataset Annotation · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a system that is scalable, energy-efficient and suitable for daily use in conditions of limited infrastructure. The need for a system that combines computer vision and haptic feedback methods.

    Biophysical substitution of a microcontroller module for personalized tactile navigation systems for people with visual impairments · 2026 · DOI

  • Navigating independently is a significant challenge for individuals with visual impairments. Traditional assistive tools have limitations. There is a need for scalable and intelligent assistive solutions.

    ANVAYA: AI-powered Navigation and Vision-based Assistive System for the Visually Impaired · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a design that prioritizes expressive agency and accessibility. The need for a system that can be reconfigured to accommodate different motor profiles and abilities. The need for a safe and maintainable way to engage in music-making activities.

    Peripersonal Modular Interfaces for Care Ecologies: Decoupling Sensing and Surface in Accessible Digital Musical Instruments · 2026 · DOI

  • The visually demanding interface of DAWs. The lack of accessible and intuitive methods for spatial audio mixing. The need for more effective and efficient methods for conveying sound location and supporting intuitive interaction.

    Designing a Spatial Vibrotactile Interface for Accessible Spatial Audio Mixing by Blind and Visually Impaired Music Producers. · 2026 · DOI

  • Technical constraints of AR systems in dark environments. Limited visibility and its impact on participant interaction. Balancing control and emergence in the sound design.

    nocturneAR: An Outdoor AR-Based Musical Interface in Dark Transitional Landscapes · 2026 · DOI

  • Although PPS plasticity is well documented following tool-use, it remains unclear how the architectural properties of the surrounding environment modulate this process.

    Architectural features of the environment shape the multisensory dynamics of peripersonal space remapping · 2026 · DOI

  • The study only involved 30 subjects. The experiment was limited to a specific set of forms and presentation methods.

    Active and Passive Tactual Recognition of Form · 1983 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in our understanding of the difference between active and passive tactual recognition of form. Prior work has yielded conflicting results on the importance of active touch for tactual perception.

    Active and Passive Tactual Recognition of Form · 1983 · DOI

  • One challenge is the lack of a comprehensive training program for visually impaired individuals to drive using bioptic telescopes. Another challenge is the need for a team of specialists to prepare an individual to drive using a bioptic telescope.

    A Training Program for Clients considering the Use of Bioptic Telescopes for Driving · 1983 · DOI

  • Future research could focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the training program. Future research could also explore the use of bioptic telescopes in different driving environments and conditions.

    A Training Program for Clients considering the Use of Bioptic Telescopes for Driving · 1983 · DOI

  • The present study was insightful as a tool to drive the devel- opment of our system in the near future. Given that this was the first iteration of the design and functioned primarily as a proof of concept in the present study, we did not con- duct a formal evaluation of recognition accuracy. A formal evaluation will be conducted in the next iteration. After the prototype is more fully developed, we see opportunities to employ it in a longitudinal user study where we could con- sider more adaptive user interfaces based on users’ unique gestural idiosyncrasies. The long-term effects of this line of work may help us champion the use of sound to teach gestural tasks in some disabled communities. Finally, we acknowledge that there is a possibility for bias in conducting the thematic analysis. We have tried to prevent this by having two project members (not authors) indepen- dently analyze the focus group transcripts. After consulting both independent analyses, the two more researchers then coalesced the ideas of the two other members.

    Embodied knowledge as a design probe in a user-centered design study of a sonification system for crochet · 2026 · DOI

  • This study comes with several limitations. First, minor inconsis- tencies in gesture responsiveness and latency may have influenced participants’ perceptions of certain gestures. Improving interac- tion fidelity could help better isolate gesture effects. Second, the study was conducted in a room setting while standing up, rather than a real-world studio environment with all applicable surround- ing equipment. Future evaluations situated in authentic mixing contexts may better capture ecological validity and long-term use. Finally, our participant pool consisted of 12 non-mixers, which lim- its generalizability across levels of expertise. Future work should include professional mixers and larger samples to examine how ges- ture preferences differ with experience and evolve over time. Our paper presents an initial groundwork for deeper ecological validity studies that move towards more generalizable 6DoF movement in XR environments.

    Beyond Faders: Understanding 6DoF Gesture Ecologies in Music Mixing · 2026 · DOI

  • Most systems fixate on a single piece, maybe detection or maybe navigation help, instead of bringing everything together into a working whole. There is a clear opening for a system that weaves together real-time object detection, spatial reasoning, and feedback that feels natural and fast.

    A Real-Time Assistive Navigation Framework for Visually Impaired Users Using Spatial Reasoning and Computer Vision · 2026 · DOI

  • Vicarious touch is theoretically relevant because it recruits social-cognitive and affective mechanisms beyond primary somatosensory processing; however, most prior studies have focused on neural correlates in neurotypical adults, with limited behavioral investigation and scarce evidence in autistic populations.

    Vicarious Perception of Touch in <scp>ASD</scp> : The Role of Empathy and Touch Experiences · 2026 · DOI

  • Extending HapCap by feeding haptic contact signals from the dataset as additional input. Statistically examining whether VLM ratings agree with human ratings. Exploring training-free techniques to enhance the inference ability of existing VLMs.

    HapCap: Estimating Haptic Adjectives with Vision-Language Model for Dataset Annotation · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of dexterity for conformal wearing to extract complicated human inputs. The need for wearable tactile devices that can extract complicated human inputs. The gap in precise measurement of slippage direction and displacement.

    An electronic fingerprint device based on spiral patterned tactile pixel array for augmented human-machine interactions · 2026 · DOI

  • The device has a limited battery life of approximately 25 min per charge. The device may be mildly fatiguing when held for extended periods. The device requires a wrist-mounted design, which may not be suitable for all users.

    Ultrasonic Obstacle Detection Device · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective and affordable assistive navigation systems for visually impaired individuals. The limitations of traditional aids such as white canes and guide dogs in detection range and directional awareness. The need for a low-cost, compact, and intuitive assistive navigation system.

    Ultrasonic Obstacle Detection Device · 2026 · DOI

  • The sensory properties of the breast are not well understood. There is a lack of research on the tactile localization of the breast, areola, and nipple.

    Tactile localization of the breast, areola, and nipple · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective navigation systems for people with visual impairments. The need for a system that combines computer vision and haptic feedback methods.

    Biophysical substitution of a microcontroller module for personalized tactile navigation systems for people with visual impairments · 2026 · DOI

  • Traditional mobility aids, such as white canes, have limitations, such as lack of forward-looking spatial awareness. Guide dogs involve lengthy training periods, high costs, and remain inaccessible to many potential users.

    ANVAYA: AI-powered Navigation and Vision-based Assistive System for the Visually Impaired · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite advancements in sensing technologies that allow touch input across surfaces with diverse curvatures, the effects of surface curvature on user behavior and performance in indirect XR touch interaction remain underexplored.

    CurvedTouch: Effects of Surface Curvature and Cursor Mapping Method for XR Touch Input on Curved Surface · 2026 · DOI

  • Existing research has not fully explored the use of foot-tactile feedback for emotion and social regulation. There is a need for a multi-mechanism foot-tactile model that can facilitate emotional relief and social approach in real-world public settings.

    FootSense: An AI-Augmented Foot-Tactile System for Emotion and Social Regulation in Pervasive Health Contexts<b></b> · 2026 · DOI

  • The challenge of complex graphical objects in data integration for visually impaired people. The limitation of Braille displays in parsing graphical objects.

    VIJB: a companion of the JBROWSE genome browser for the visually impaired people · 2026 · DOI

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68 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 531 Tactile and Sensory Interactions papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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