  Neural mechanisms of touch are typically studied in laboratory settings using
robotic or other types of well-controlled devices. Such stimuli are very
different from highly complex naturalistic human-to-human touch interactions.
The lack of scientifically useful naturalistic stimuli hampers progress,
particularly in social touch research. Vision science, on the other hand, has
benefitted from inventions such as virtual reality systems that have provided
researchers with precision control of naturalistic stimuli. In the field of
touch research, producing and manipulating stimuli is particularly challenging
due to the complexity of skin mechanics. Here we review the history of touch
neuroscience focusing on the contrast between strictly controlled and
naturalistic stimuli and compare with vision science. We discuss new methods
that may overcome the obstacles with precision-controlled tactile stimuli, and
recent successes in naturalistic texture production. In social touch research,
precise tracking and measurement of naturalistic human-to-human touch
interactions offers exciting new possibilities.
