Exploring the Role of Haptic Technology in Healthcare

Using haptic technology has advanced outcomes in various areas of healthcare, such as telemedicine, rehabilitation, and surgical training. It has also furthered the use cases of medical devices in the form of wearables such as gloves and smart insoles, among others. This chapter examines the current state of haptics in healthcare by reviewing how haptic technology is employed and highlighting novel applications. Specifically, our review focuses on the areas of surgery simulation, gait support, and fitness tracking. In terms of medical outcomes, our findings show that using vibration and force-based haptics is correlated with improved treatment outcomes as well as with more effective medical training.