2024 journal article

Cite it

A wirelessly programmable, skin-integrated thermo-haptic stimulator system for virtual reality

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

By: J. Kim ^*, A. Vázquez-Guardado ⁿ , H. Luan ^*, J. Kim ^*, D. Yang ^*, H. Zhang ^*, J. Chang ^*, S. Yoo ^* ...and 22 other authors, C. Park ^*, Y. Wei^*, Z. Christiansen ^*, S. Kim ^*, R. Avila ^*, J. Kim ^*, Y. Lee ^*, H. Shin ^*, M. Zhou ^*, S. Jeon ^*, J. Baek^*, Y. Lee ^*, S. Kim ^*, J. Lim ^*, M. Park ^*, H. Jeong ^*, S. Won ^*, R. Chen ^*, Y. Huang ^*, Y. Jung ^*, J. Yoo ^*, J. Rogers ^*

10.1073/pnas.2404007121

Find Text @ NCSU

open access via doi.org (publisher)

Source: ORCID

Added: May 22, 2024

Sensations of heat and touch produced by receptors in the skin are of essential importance for perceptions of the physical environment, with a particularly powerful role in interpersonal interactions. Advances in technologies for replicating these sensations in a programmable manner have the potential not only to enhance virtual/augmented reality environments but they also hold promise in medical applications for individuals with amputations or impaired sensory function. Engineering challenges are in achieving interfaces with precise spatial resolution, power-efficient operation, wide dynamic range, and fast temporal responses in both thermal and in physical modulation, with forms that can extend over large regions of the body. This paper introduces a wireless, skin-compatible interface for thermo-haptic modulation designed to address some of these challenges, with the ability to deliver programmable patterns of enhanced vibrational displacement and high-speed thermal stimulation. Experimental and computational investigations quantify the thermal and mechanical efficiency of a vertically stacked design layout in the thermo-haptic stimulators that also supports real-time, closed-loop control mechanisms. The platform is effective in conveying thermal and physical information through the skin, as demonstrated in the control of robotic prosthetics and in interactions with pressure/temperature-sensitive touch displays.