Skin-Conformal Thermo-Haptic Interface With Advanced Thermal Management for Multimodal Haptic Feedback.

Abstract

Tactile perception arises from coordinated activation of mechanoreceptors and thermoreceptors, yet most wearable haptic technologies primarily stimulate mechanoreceptors. Thermal haptic interfaces remain constrained by rigid heat sinks, unstable hydrogels, or insufficient thermal management; thus compact integration of active thermal and mechanical actuation in a skin-conformable platform remains difficult. Here, we present a compliant thermal haptic device that enables bidirectional heating and cooling without rigid heat dissipation structures. The device uses a polymer matrix filled with hexagonal boron nitride and phase-change materials to form dynamic, effective thermal pathways. A soft heat sink based on gallium-polymer composites provides stable thermal regulation while preserving compliance. A gallium-based soft electromagnetic actuator is further integrated for mechanical haptic feedback. The thermo- and mechano-haptic components are connected through a kirigami-inspired architecture, enabling simultaneous mechanical and thermal feedback in a stretchable platform. Preliminary user tests show that multimodal feedback improves material-recognition accuracy to 96.4%, compared with 74.9% for mechanical-only cues and 87.6% for thermal-only cues. These results offer materials and integration strategies for skin-integrated multimodal haptics, with potential applications in VR/AR, telepresence, prosthetics, and rehabilitation.