We present a novel multisensory interactive system that integrates mid-air haptic feedback with ocean-themed visual media to foster sustainability awareness. Using focused ultrasound, the system allows users to "feel" environmental phenomena such as waves, coral reefs, and pollution without wearing devices or touching surfaces. Designed for deployment in public and mobile contexts such as exhibitions, science centers, and mixed-reality installations, the system demonstrates how contactless haptics can extend emotional engagement with environmental issues beyond traditional media. A preliminary study with ten participants showed that mid-air haptics amplified emotional responses and strengthened intentions toward pro-environmental action. This work contributes to mobile and ubiquitous interaction research by exploring how multisensory feedback can make abstract sustainability challenges more tangible and engaging in everyday contexts.

This paper presents WarmConnect, an innovative wearable technology designed to enhance social interaction through thermal feedback. The Bluetooth-enabled band generates warmth when users with compatible devices are nearby, with intensity increasing as they approach each other. This non-verbal, tactile signal provides a playful way to encourage engagement, particularly for individuals who may feel shy or anxious about starting conversations. WarmConnect aims to lower barriers to social connection in university environments by offering a low-pressure, embodied communication method. To assess its feasibility, a preliminary survey was conducted with eleven participants before developing a working prototype. This initial study yielded valuable insights into users’ perceptions and their willingness to use thermal technology for social connection. The findings indicate potential for WarmConnect to facilitate social interaction in university settings. The project explores the benefits of thermal technology in promoting inclusive, non-intrusive social behaviors while considering its limitations and future applications in various contexts.

Mid-air haptic technology enables touchless interaction through focused ultrasound and holds promise for inclusive design in mobile and ubiquitous multimedia systems. However, accessibility aspects remain largely unexplored. This poster introduces an accessibility-centered framework for mid-air haptic interaction, building on prior reviews of user experience and technical design. We systematically analyzed 42 studies published between 2014 and 2024 and conducted twelve expert interviews, including accessibility specialists and a visually impaired participant. The analysis highlights three main challenges: low stimulus clarity, limited multimodal feedback, and insufficient personalization. Our proposed framework addresses these gaps through four design dimensions-perceptual optimization, multimodal integration, spatial configuration, and individual calibration. By integrating literature and expert insights, this work advances a structured foundation for accessible mid-air haptic systems and identifies future research directions toward inclusive, touchless interaction in mobile, public, and mixed-reality contexts.

Mid-air haptic feedback technology produces tactile sensations that are felt without the need for physical interactions. However, mid-air haptic experiences need to be congruent with visual cues to reflect user expectations. To overcome this, we investigate how to visually present properties of objects, so that what one feels is a more accurate prediction of what one sees. Specifically, this paper investigates the relationship between 8 visual parameters of a point-cloud representation of a surface (particle color, size, distribution, etc.) and 4 mid-air haptic spatial modulation frequencies (20, 40, 60 and 80 Hz). Our results and analysis reveal a statistical significance between low and high-frequency modulations and particle density, particle bumpiness (depth) and particle arrangement (randomness).

Mid-air haptic feedback technology produces tactile sensations that are felt without the need for physical interactions, wearables or controllers. When designing mid-air haptic stimuli, it is important that they are sufficiently different in terms of their perceived sensation. This paper presents the results of two user studies on mid-air haptic feedback technology, with a focus on the sensations of haptic strength and haptic roughness. More specifically, we used the acoustic pressure intensity and the rotation frequency of the mid-air haptic stimulus as proxies to the two sensations of interest and investigated their Just Noticeable Difference (JND) and Weber fractions. Our results indicate statistical significance in the JND for frequency, with a finer resolution compared to intensity. Moreover, correlations are observed in terms of participants’ sensitivity to small changes across the different stimuli presented. We conclude that frequency and intensity are mid-air haptic dimensions of depth 5 and 3, respectively, that we can use for the design of distinct stimuli that convey perceptually different tactile information to the user.

Mid-air haptic feedback technology produces tactile sensations that are felt without the need for physical interactions, and bridges the gap with digital interactions, by making the virtual feel real. However, existing mid-air haptic experiences often do not reflect user expectations in terms of congruence between visual and haptic stimuli. To overcome this, we investigate how to better present the visual properties of objects, so that what one feels is a more accurate prediction of what one sees. In the following demonstration, we present an approach that allows users to fine tune the visual appearance of different textured surfaces, and then match these to corresponding mid-air haptic stimuli in order to improve visual-haptic congruence. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Haptic devices; User centered design.