MORE | Spring 2021

Vibro-Thermal Device for Socio-Emotional Communication through Pattern Generation

Touch plays an essential social role in fostering and maintaining emotional communication in human relationships, which has changed due to the current pandemic. The research team proposes to create a haptic platform capable of generating vibrational/thermal haptic patterns individually and simultaneously. This device explores the social and emotional quotient involved during communication, which is absent in traditional modes like a phone call or a video call. The researcher aims to test this device on the forearm and improve public health and interactions between humans, thereby affecting mental and physical health. Applications of this device include healthcare, social interactions, and education.