PhantomTouch: Creating an Extended Reality by the Illusion of Touch using a Shape-Memory Alloy Matrix

Conformable on-skin devices for thermo-electro-tactile stimulation: materials, design, and fabrication

“…Also Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) platforms could be of interest for the development of haptic devices because of their capability to stretch skin once attached, creating shear forces similar to light pinches. 223 Numerous tactile displays have been produced, consisting of tactile stimulators that stimulate human skin. 203 Tactile displays are especially a means for communication for the visually impaired: new fabrication techniques allowed to create very thin, flexible, and lightweight sheet-type Braille displays.…”

“…They are very efficient in providing a sensation, but are also generally bulky, they require external moduli, and limit the freedom of movement of the user. 217,223,229,230 On the other hand, the design of conformable tactile stimulators allow to maximize the comfort of the user and simplifying the utilization procedures. 231 pneumatic actuator which did not require the use of an external compressor.…”

“…243 In the literature, one can find recent examples of devices relying on this technology for tactile stimulation. 220,223,230 Compared to previous example, such systems have longer actuation time (1-2 s) but can provide a much more realistic sensation when compared to vibro-and elctro-tactile stimulation by actually stretching and pinching the skin.…”

Making sense of digitally remediated touch in virtual reality experiences

“…Despite being unable to fully replicate the cutaneous and kinesthetic properties of physical touch, advances in haptic technologies enable new ways to remotely communicate a feeling of touch (van Erp & Toet, 2015;Huisman, et al, 2017). The digital remediation of touch is of significant interest to VR developers as it is seen to herald new possibilities, notably enhancing a sense of presence (Campbell et al 2018) and immersion (Muthukumarana et al 2019). Touch is seen to make VR tangible in ways that vision cannot (Paterson 2007), to create a physical link between users and virtual experiences (see Parisi 2018), and a felt sense of reality (Spence and Gallace 2013).…”

“…Within both the field of design and VR research, touch is understood as both a physical and 'imagined' experience, in which perceptual gaps are supported through the provision of appropriate multisensory stimuli (Biocca, Kim & Choi 2001). Current research focuses on the development of digital artefacts such as gloves, vibrotactile controllers, mid-air haptics to generate tactile sensations in VR, linked to our understanding of neurophysiological touch mechanisms, as well as extending work on the notion of 're-creating touch' or 'touch illusions' (Muthukumarana et al 2019), which rely on visuals and sound mapped to movement of the hand or body. The focus of touch is differently conceptualised as replication or illusion (Price et al, 2021), shaping the design process.…”