PhD Student, Researcher, and Roboteer

Zane Zook

I am passionate about robotics, haptics and education. Download a copy of my CV.

Projects

  • Influence Of Focus On Haptic Perception

    Prior research has shown that the direction of a user’s focus affects the perception of tactile cues. Additionally, user agency over touch stimulation has been shown to affect tactile perception. With the development of more complicated haptic and multi-sensory devices, simple tactile cues are rarely used in isolation and the effect of focus direction and […]
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  • Multi-Sensory Haptic Perception on AIMS Haptic Testbed

    This project investigates human perception of haptic, or touch, cues. In the field of haptics, there is a need for a standardized method to characterize haptic cues and assess human perception of these cues. Most haptic devices are characterized using methods that are unique to the experiment, making direct comparisons across studies challenging. To meet […]
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  • Fluidic Haptic Textile Devices

    Our sense of touch offers a useful mode of communication through haptics that can augment the often-crowded visual and auditory pathways, but haptic devices have yet to be fully integrated into garments and other soft wearables in a way that maintains the compliance and comfort of everyday clothing, resulting in a barrier to widespread adoption. […]
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  • Miniature Skin Deformation Actuator Array

    This project was done in association with the Stanford Collaborative Haptics in Robotics and Medicine (CHARM) Lab. In an effort to create compelling touch cues an array of miniature skin deformation actuators was developed. Each tactor in this array was developed with 3 degrees of freedom to allow it to independently make and break contact […]
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  • EEG-Guided Virtual Reality Experience

    In association with daisy* inc in Tokyo, Japan, we developed and created a VR experience that would use EEG feedback from a user to help guide a user to a state of relaxation. This project investigated the relationship between visual stimuli and human reactions recorded with EEG. These studies were extended to create a an […]
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  • Snaptics: Low-Cost Open-Source Hardware For Wearable Multi-Sensory Haptics

    There has been growing interest in using haptic devices to enhance virtual experiences or to increase the amount of information transferred to a user by wearable devices. As such, the haptics community has proposed a wide range of wearable haptic devices, often featuring multi-sensory cues that convey vibration, squeeze, twist, or skin stretch. Despite these exciting advances in wearable haptic technology, […]
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  • Timing Effects on Skin Deformation Haptic Rendering

    This project was done in association with the Stanford Collaborative Haptics in Robotics and Medicine (CHARM) Lab. In telerobotic system with haptic feedback, time delays can cause major system instability. Providing haptic feedback through skin deformation is one proposed solution to this instability. This study used a skin deformation device developed by Sony researcher Yasuhisa […]
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Experience

05/2020 - present
Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Lab
Doctoral Researcher

Initiated and lead ongoing investigations into the design and characterization of low cost multi-scale wearable haptic devices

8/2018 - 05/2020
Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Lab
Masters Researcher

Designed and led experiments to investigate the psychophysics and mechanical properties of wearable haptic devices

5/2017 - 6/2018
Stanford Collaborative Haptics and Robotics In Medicine Lab
RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Designed, executed and led experiments on skin deformation devices

8/2016 - 6/2018
Stanford Bing Overseas Studies Program
Kyoto Student Ambassador

Drove student interest to record numbers by re-imagining the marketing campaign and pioneering measures to include disadvantaged students

Summer '16
daisy*
Summer X Head Researcher and Designer

Researched and designed the Summer X VR Brain Feedback System (JP Patent 2016-159759), a wearable EEG multimedia platform that leveraged audiovisual art to provide users with therapeutic experiences

Summer '13-’15, ‘18
University of Washington, Robinson Center
Instructor and Curriculum Developer

Designed and taught new robotics curriculum to classes of 30-40 gifted high school students from across Washington state

Publications

Journal Publications

1. Z. A. Zook, M. Mahan, and M. K. O’Malley, “Observations on Tactile Focus,” IEEE Transactions on Haptics, In preparation.
2. Z. A. Zook, B. Jumet, A. Yousaf, D. J. Preston, and M. K. O’Malley, “Multiscale Textile-Based Haptic Interactions,” Advanced Intelligent Systems, In preparation.
3. Z. A. Zook, O. Galvan, O. Ozor-Ilo, E. Selcuk, and M. K. O’Malley, “Snaptics: Designing Low Cost Alternative Haptic Wearables,” IEEE Transactions on Haptics, In preparation.
4. B. Jumet, Z. A. Zook, A. Yousaf, A. Rajappan, D. Xu, T. F. Yap, N. Fino, Z. Liu, M. K. O’Malley, and D. J. Preston, “Fluidic Haptic Textiles with Material Preprogramming,” Science Advances, In review.
5. J. J. Fleck, Z. A. Zook, J. P. Clark, D. J. Preston, D. J. Lipomi, C. Pacchierotti, and M. K. O’Malley, “Wearable Multi-Sensory Haptic Devices,” Nature Reviews Bioengineering, In review.
6. K. T. Yoshida, Z. A. Zook, H. Choi, M. Luo, M. K. O’Malley, and A. M. Okamura, “Design and Analysis of a 3-DoF Haptic Device for Directional Shear Cues on the Forearm,” IEEE Transactions on Haptics, In preparation.
7. Z. A. Zook, J. J. Fleck, and M. K. O’Malley, “Effect of Tactile Masking on Multi-Sensory Haptic Perception,” IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 2021.
8. A. K. Low, Z. A. Zook, J. J. Fleck, and M. K. O’Malley, “Effects of Interfering Cue Separation Distance and Amplitude on the Haptic Detection of Skin Stretch,” IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 2021.

Conference Publications

1. N. Fino, Z. A. Zook, B. Jumet, D. J. Preston, M. K. O’Malley, “A Soft Approach to Convey Vibrotactile Feedback in Wearables Through Mechanical Hysteresis,” 2023 IEEE Robosoft Conference, April 3-7, Singapore.
2. N. Fino, B. Jumet, Z. A. Zook, D. J. Preston, M. K. O’Malley, “Mechanofluidic Instability-Driven Wearable Textile Vibrotactor,” 2023 IEEE World Haptics Conference, In review.
3. Z. A. Zook and M. K. O’Malley, “Effect of Focus Direction and Agency on Tactile Perceptibility,” 2022 EuroHaptics Conference, May 22-25, Hamburg, Germany.
4. B. Jumet, Z. A. Zook, D. Xu, N. Fino, A. Rajappan, M. W. Schara, J. Berning, N. Escobar, M. K. O’Malley, and D. J. Preston, “A Textile-Based Approach to Wearable Haptic Devices,” 2022 IEEE RoboSoft Conference, April 4-8, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
5. Z. A. Zook, O. O. Ozor-Ilo, G. T. Zook and M. K. O’Malley, “Snaptics: Low-Cost Open-Source Hardware for Wearable Multi-Sensory Haptics,” 2021 World Haptics Conference, July 6-9, Virtual – Montreal, Canada.
6. Z. A. Zook, J. J. Fleck, T. W. Tjandra, and M. K. O’Malley, “Effect of Interference on Multi-Sensory Haptic Perception of Stretch and Squeeze,” 2019 IEEE World Haptics Conference, July 9-12, Tokyo, Japan.
7. J. J. Fleck, Z. A. Zook, T. W. Tjandra, and M. K. O’Malley, “A Cutaneous Haptic Cue Characterization Testbed,” 2019 IEEE World Haptics Conference, July 9-12, Tokyo, Japan.
8. Z. A. Zook, A. M. Okamura, and Y. Kamikawa, “Effects of Latency and Refresh Rate on Force Perception via Sensory Substitution by Force-Controlled Skin Deformation Feedback,” 2018 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 21-25, Brisbane, Australia.

Theses

1. Z. A. Zook, “Evaluating Perception with Salient & Low-Cost Wearable Haptics.” Rice University, In preparation.
2. Z. A. Zook, “Effect of Interference on Multi-Sensory Haptic Perception.” Rice University, 2020.

Presentations

1. “Effect of Focus Direction and Agency on Tactile Perceptibility,” Technical Paper Presenter, 2022 EuroHaptics Conference, May 22-25, Hamburg, Germany.
2. “Dimensions of Wearable Haptics,” Invited Workshop Speaker, 2022 EuroHaptics Conference – Mechanics and Materials Innovations to Control Fine Touch, May 22, Hamburg, Germany.
3. “Snaptics: Low-Cost Open-Source Hardware for Wearable Multi-Sensory Haptics,” Technical Paper Presenter, 2021 World Haptics Conference, July 6-9, Virtual – Montreal, Canada.
4. “Intro to Haptics for XR,” Conference Tutorial Session Organizer and Host, 2020 International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, October 29, Virtual – Originally Las Vegas, NV.
5. “Effects of Latency and Refresh Rate on Force Perception via Sensory Substitution by Force-Controlled Skin Deformation Feedback,” Technical Paper Presenter, 2019 ASU Robotics Symposium, January 24-25, Tempe, AZ.

Honors

08/2018 - 08/2021
NSF Graduate Student Fellow

Recognized for scientific promise with 3-year financial support from the National Science Foundation

05/2018
Stanford Award of Excellence

A prestigious award given to students who go above and beyond in their commitment to university through involvement, leadership, and extraordinary Stanford spirit

08/2013 - present
Gates Millennium Scholar

Chosen as 1 of the 1,000 students out of 54,000 applicants in 2013 deserving of a 10-year full-ride scholarship by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

08/2013 - 06/2017
QuestBridge College Match Scholar

Chosen as 1 of 700 students out of 7,000 students deserving of a 4-year full-ride scholarship

My Story

Growing up I always wanted to be an astronaut, a professional scientist who works in the most inhospitable of environments. I went through stages, wanting to be a space architect, a space doctor and the like and in the process I did everything in my power to become the “ideal astronaut candidate.” In the process, I have found a love for research and a desire to stand at the forefront of rehabilitation robotics and haptics. Today, I find myself fascinated by the prospect of designing robotics to better suit, complement and aid people in their everyday lives. To that end I strive to become a scientist like the astronauts that inspire me and to contribute to the larger engineering community that has supported me to this point.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Honors
Minor in East Asian Studies, Subplan Japanese

STANFORD UNIVERSITY100%

Graduate PhD Student in Mechanical Engineering

RICE UNIVERSITY95%

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