Erica Jantho

Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins University

Papers

Total Citations

107

H-Index

About

Erica Jantho is a leading researcher at the intersection of haptics, surgical robotics, and tactile sensing, whose work has fundamentally advanced how machines perceive and interact with soft biological tissues. Her most influential contribution, the 2010 study "Human vs. robotic tactile sensing: Detecting lumps in soft tissue" (85 citations), established a critical benchmark by comparing human finger-based lump localization with robotic tactile systems. This foundational work revealed the profound challenges of remote palpation in minimally invasive procedures, directly informing the design of next-generation surgical tools. Jantho further strengthened this field with her 2010 paper "Characterization and simulation of tactile sensors" (22 citations), where she developed a point spread function model for sensor response. By adapting graphics and imaging techniques to model tactile interactions, she provided a rigorous, quantifiable framework for sensor design and simulation. Her research uniquely bridges human haptic perception with robotic engineering, offering practical solutions for laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgery. Jantho’s work remains essential reading for researchers developing tactile feedback systems, demonstrating how understanding the limits of human touch can guide the creation of more capable, intuitive surgical robots.