When infants are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to prematurity, low birth weight, or congenital conditions, families are physically separated from their infants. In particular, young siblings are frequently restricted from visiting due to infection control and safety considerations. Our preliminary web-based survey revealed a gap between parents’ desire for sibling visitation and the actual opportunities available. To address this issue, we investigated the potential of a multisensory online visitation approach. We adopted an embodied online visitation system that connects the NICU and a pediatric outpatient via a network, allowing siblings and parents to experience real-time audiovisual information of the infant combined with heartbeat-synchronized vibrotactile feedback. Compared to conventional screen-based visitation, the multisensory system was associated with increased perceived closeness to the infant. Siblings generally exhibited positive feelings, and parents valued the opportunity to share the experience as a family. These findings point to the design value of enabling shared family co-experience as a means of supporting sibling–infant bonding in healthcare contexts.

Prolonged hospitalization in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) limits family–infant interaction, affecting parental mental health and bonding. We proposed a multisensory embodied online visitation system that supports family–infant interaction despite physical separation through a chest-held device delivering live video and vibrotactile heartbeat sensation from the infant. Preliminary interviews with families suggested that the system enhanced a sense of holding the infant, while also revealing design issues related to device tactile qualities. Based on families’ feedback, we prepared six texture types and evaluated them with NICU nurses who routinely care for neonates. The bean bag cushion with an embedded vibrotactile actuator ranked highest, as it better evoked the act of holding an infant by fitting naturally in the arms. Qualitative insights further highlighted softness and deformability as key factors. These findings inform device design for enhancing embodiment in online visitation and supporting family-centered neonatal care.

Prolonged hospitalization of newborns (e.g., extremely preterm infants or extremely low birth weight infants) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) often limits physical interactions between parents and their infants, potentially impairing parental mental health and parent-child bonding.Research has shown that skin-to-skin contact reduces postpartum depression and enhances parental sensitivity.However, in-person visitation is often restricted by factors such as time and geographical barriers.This study introduces an online system for embodied communication, where families hold a haptic feedback device with a display against their chest as if holding an infant.The device allows families to view live video of their infant while feeling their infant's heartbeat through vibrotactile feedback.The system was evaluated against two types of online visitation: screen-based visuals only and screen-based visuals with vibrotactile feedback.The proposed system improved parents' psychological closeness to their infant, giving a sense of holding their infant and offering comfort.These findings emphasize the value of multisensory interfaces in family-centered neonatal care.