Technological Research Project: Digital Fingertip

This lecture explores the analysis of sociotechnical networks using the example of a technological research project, the digital fingertip. It delves into the industrial importance of natural versus artificial products, the challenges faced by industries in differentiating between them, and the development of a solution to measure the sensation of naturalness or artificiality. The lecture also discusses the collaboration between various research laboratories, the translation of the naturalness problem into a research project, and the emergence of a multidisciplinary network focusing on human perception. It concludes with the development of a digital fingertip sensor to distinguish between natural and synthetic surfaces, with potential applications in product development, fraud detection, and improving well-being and productivity.