Haptics: Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction, 15th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2026, 6-9 July 2026, Siena, Italy: Part II

These two volumes contain the proceedings of EuroHaptics 2026, held in Siena, Italy. As a central international event for the haptics community, EuroHaptics 2026 brought together researchers, engineers, and clinicians to present developments across haptic hardware, software, perception, and neuroscience. The research presented in this volume reflects a dynamic field, defined by a push toward immersive, accessible, and physiologically grounded haptic systems. An analysis of the accepted contributions reveals several dominant thematic pillars that will shape the future of tactile interaction. First, there is a pronounced acceleration in the development of wearable and cutaneous haptics. Researchers are moving beyond grounded devices toward lightweight unobtrusive form factors. The proceedings feature novel applications of skin stretch and multi-point vibrotactile arrays distributed across the wrist, forearm, torso, and back. These systems are increasingly being deployed to encode complex information, ranging from robotic prosthetic hand closure states to directional guidance and priority-based alerts in high-cognitive-load environments. A second major trend is the application of haptics in medical training and rehabilitation. High-fidelity simulation is essential for modern medical education, and several papers highlight variable-stiffness interfaces, particle jamming, and multimodal thermal softness displays. These technologies are designed for tasks such as breast palpation training, musculoskeletal injury assessment, and laparoscopic surgery, aiming to bridge the gap between visual simulation and clinical palpation. Furthermore, the proceedings demonstrate a strong, continued commitment to accessibility and inclusive design. Significant contributions are made in refreshable tactile displays, the perceptual modeling of tactile graphics, and multimodal interactive bar charts. Together with kinesthetic navigation aids for visually impaired individuals, this research highlights the power of touch to democratize access to digital and spatial information. Also, advancements in surface and mid-air haptics are significant. Studies on electrostatic actuation and ultrasonic friction modulation provide deeper empirical insights into real contact area and acoustic interaction forces. Meanwhile, airborne ultrasound phased arrays are being pushed in novel directions, exploring everything from localized impact rendering via high-speed levitated particles to non-contact affective stroking for sleep induction. Supporting all of these achievements is a foundational contribution in fundamental psychophysics. These volumes feature investigations into multisensory integration, exploring how visual or auditory cues compete or align with touch. Studies probing the limits of spatial masking, the nature of tactile apparent motion, and subliminal haptic priming provide the essential perceptual models that will dictate the next generation of haptic rendering algorithms. The contributions in this volume reflect a global research footprint.