Current status and future directions of haptics in 3D multimedia

Humans interact with their surroundings and other people using multiple perceptual modalities. However, in human-machine-interaction, human-centered computing and modern multimedia systems, we have traditionally concentrated on research into visual and auditory interaction. This is evident from the tremendous advancements that have been achieved so far in digital audio and video technology. More recently, the momentum gained in the areas of 3D audio and 3D video raises significant hope for another quantum leap towards immersive 3D multimedia experiences.