tactile

Tactile refers to the sense of touch or to things perceived through touch. The term originates from the Latin tactilis, meaning 'pertaining to touch', and ultimately from tangere, 'to touch'.

In humans, tactile perception is mediated mainly by mechanoreceptors in the skin that detect pressure, texture, and vibration. The major receptor types include Merkel cells (fine touch and texture), Meissner corpuscles (light touch), Ruffini endings (skin stretch), and Pacinian corpuscles (vibration). Signals travel through peripheral nerves to the somatosensory cortex, where they contribute to object recognition, texture discrimination, and spatial awareness. Temperature and pain are often described as separate skin senses, but interact with tactile information to form a complete somatosensory experience.

Applications of tactile information include haptic feedback in devices such as smartphones and gaming controllers, which simulate texture or resistance. Tactile graphics and Braille convert visual information into touch for accessibility. In robotics, tactile sensing aims to reproduce skin-like perception of contact, texture, and force. In design and manufacturing, tactile considerations influence materials and textures to improve usability, safety, and accessibility.

See also: haptic technology, somatosensation, touch, tactile graphics, Braille.