Generating Multimodal Textures with a Soft Hydro-Pneumatic Haptic Ring

Abstract: The growing adoption of extended reality, XR, has driven demand for wearable technologies that can replicate natural tactile sensations and allow users to interact freely with their surroundings using bare fingers. However, most existing wearable haptic technologies that support such free interactions can deliver sensations across limited tactile modalities. Here, we introduce a soft haptic ring and a data-driven rendering methodology to generate multimodal texture sensations. The device integrates pneumatic and hydraulic actuation to simulate roughness, thermal, and softness cues on the proximal phalanx, enabling users to explore surroundings naturally with their fingertips. The rendering methodology dynamically modulates those cues based on the user's exploratory actions. We validated our approach by conducting a user study with fifteen participants, who matched six virtual textures generated by the ring to their real counterparts and rated their perceived sensations. Participants achieved up to ninety percent accuracy in texture matching. The adjective ratings confirmed that the ring delivers distinct, perceptually rich stimuli across all rendered sensations. These findings highlight the ring's potential for immersive XR applications, offering diverse tactile feedback without restricting physical interaction.