Active Touch Sensing in Mammals and Robots

Active sensing is the control of the sensory apparatus so as to maximize information gain in relation to current goals. The understanding of active sensing, and of related perceptual processes (active perception), is also being advanced through the development of computational and physical models (robots). This chapter reviews the current understanding of active touch sensing in mammals, focusing on vibrissal (whisker) touch and human cutaneous (fingertip) touch.