Wearable Electro‐Thermal Haptic Stimulator Driven by a Self‐Powered Tactile Sensor for Realistic Stimulus Replication

ABSTRACT Reproducing realistic tactile sensations is critical for intuitive and immersive human–machine interaction in bio‐mechatronic systems. Here, we present a stimulus‐replicating system that translates real‐world tactile events into biomimetic sensations. The system couples a self‐powered, multimodal tactile sensor—detecting dynamic/static pressure and temperature via hybrid triboelectric and ionic mechanisms—with a wearable stimulator. The stimulator features a co‐located Peltier‐based thermotactile module and a concentric poly(2,3‐diydrothieno‐1,4‐dioxin)‐poly(styrenesulfonate)/polyurethane electrotactile electrode, optimized through Multiphysics simulations for spatially focused receptor activation. This integrated architecture, stabilized by aluminum nitride/polydimethylsiloxane encapsulation and acrylate‐based pressure‐sensitive adhesion, faithfully reproduces sensed mechano‐thermal signatures on the user's skin. Psychophysical tests further show high accuracy in discriminating pressure, temperature, and softness: 81.7% accuracy in discriminating pressure and softness via electrotactile stimulation and 72% accuracy in discriminating temperature via thermotactile stimulation. By moving beyond predefined haptics, our framework establishes a new approach to biomimetic sensation delivery. This technology holds significant promise for applications requiring high‐fidelity tactile replication, including smart prosthetics and tele‐haptics.