Katherine Kuchenbecker researches the design and control of robotic systems that enable a user to touch virtual objects and distant environments as though they were real and within reach. These haptic interfaces combine electromechanical sensors and actuators with high-speed computer control to fool the human sense of touch.Neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have found out how the sense of touch is connected in the nervous system and skin. These findings provide new opportunities for understanding how the brain gathers and processes information from hairy skin.Jeff Han demonstrates a touch screen computer screen in his TED Talk from 2006. See Anders Ynnerman talk about haptic technology as he discusses visualizing the medical data explosion. Hiroyuki Shinoda demonstrates his invention, a three-dimentional ultrasonic haptic display, at his TEDx Talk from 2012. Photography has made leaps and bounds in the world of technology development. Kuchenbecker's technology is just another piece of the progress. Just a very short time ago, photography was a pipe dream. See the lesson about the history of photography here.Photography connects us in more ways than just the images we see. It's also the stories that they tell. See David Griffin's TED Talk here.TEDYouth is a day-long event for high school students -- with live speakers, hands-on activities, and great conversations. The event coincides with more than 100 self-organizedTEDxYouthDay events happening worldwide over a 48-hour period.

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