PneuMod: A Modular Haptic Device with Localized Pressure and Thermal Feedback

Abstract

Humans have tactile sensory organs distributed all over the body. However, haptic devices are often only created for one part (e.g., hands, wrist, or face). We propose PneuMod, a wearable modular haptic device that can simultaneously and independently present pressure and thermal (warm and cold) cues to different parts of the body. The module in PneuMod is a pneumatically-actuated silicone bubble with an integrated Peltier device that can render thermo-pneumatic feedback through shapes, locations, patterns, and motion effects. The modules can be arranged with varying resolutions on fabric to create sleeves, headbands, leg wraps, and other forms that can be worn on multiple parts of the body. In this paper, we describe the system design, the module implementation, and applications for social touch interactions and in-game thermal and pressure feedback.