Force, flatness and touch without feeling

What is it about?

The article explores how buttons are becoming increasingly flattened in an era of touchscreens. As these buttons require less force, they also provoke questions about what it means to "feel" digital surfaces and interact with digital interfaces. The piece also makes a case for historical investigations of haptics in media studies.

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Why is it important?

It provides an historical perspective to haptic media studies and demonstrates that present-day concerns about touch, buttons, and interfaces can be traced backward more than 100 years.