This work investigates how robot-mediated physicality influences the perception of social-physical interactions with virtual characters. ETHOS (Encountered-Type Haptics for On-demand Social interaction) is an encountered-type haptic display that integrates a torque-controlled manipulator and interchangeable props with a VR headset to enable three gestures: object handovers, fist bumps, and high fives. We conducted a user study to examine how ETHOS adds physicality to virtual character interactions and how this affects presence, realism, enjoyment, and connection metrics. Each participant experienced one interaction under three conditions: no physicality (NP), static physicality (SP), and dynamic physicality (DP). SP extended the purely virtual baseline (NP) by introducing tangible props for direct contact, while DP further incorporated motion and impact forces to emulate natural touch. Results show presence increased stepwise from NP to SP to DP. Realism, enjoyment, and connection also improved with added physicality, though differences between SP and DP were not significant. Comfort remained consistent across conditions, indicating no added psychological friction. These findings demonstrate the experiential value of ETHOS and motivate the integration of encountered-type haptics into socially meaningful VR experiences.

ETHOS (Encountered-Type Haptics for On-demand Social interaction) enables corresponding virtual and physical renderings of dynamic interpersonal interactions, demonstrated here with an object handover (left), fist bump (centre), and high five (right). Abstract-- We present ETHOS (Encountered-Type Haptics for On-demand Social interaction), a dynamic encountered-type haptic display (ETHD) that enables natural physical contact in virtual reality (VR) during social interactions such as handovers, fist bumps, and high-fives. The system integrates a torque-controlled robotic manipulator with interchangeable passive props (silicone hand replicas and a baton), marker-based physical-virtual registration via a ChArUco board, and a safety monitor that gates motion based on the user's head and hand pose. We introduce two control strategies: (i) a static mode that presents a stationary prop aligned with its virtual counterpart, consistent with prior ETHD baselines, and (ii) a dynamic mode that continuously updates prop position by exponentially blending an initial mid-point trajectory with real-time hand tracking, generating a unique contact point for each interaction. Bench tests show static colocation accuracy of 5.09 0.94 mm, while user interactions achieved temporal alignment with an average contact latency of 28.58 31.21 These results demonstrate the feasibility of recreating socially meaningful haptics in VR. By incorporating essential safety and control mechanisms, ETHOS establishes a practical foundation for high-fidelity, dynamic interpersonal interactions in virtual environments. I. INTRODUCTION Virtual reality (VR) enables embodied engagement with digital environments and creates immersive experiences that unlock novel affordances. Advances in hardware and content creation over the past decade have driven increasing interest in the field, supporting the adoption of VR across a broad range of domains.

Anki, founded in 2010, creates robots with personalities and even feelings; robots that are more human. Vector, "The Good Robot," will be available to consumers in early October, and he can tell you the weather, take photos, answer questions, and even challenge you to a game of blackjack. He has three of the five human senses: sight, hearing, and touch, he can also react to his surroundings, learn your habits, and adapt to it all. In addition to answering questions, he responds to commands: you can tell him to go to sleep or give you a fist bump, for example. Vector even knows when it's time to charge his battery.

Ford Europe has installed a pair of'collaborative robots' on its production line in Cologne, Germany, ostensibly to help fit shock absorbers to Fiestas. But in a video that the company just released, you can see their real purpose - making coffee for the workers. The robots, which were developed in collaboration with German robotics firm KUKA Roboter, are about a metre tall and equipped with sensors that stop them if they detect obstacles in their path. That's important, as last year a worker was killed at a Volkswagen production plant by a malfunctioning industrial robot. Ford says that its new bot is capable of pinpoint accuracy, strength and dexterity, which probably comes in handy when brewing coffee and giving high fives.