Thermal masking, a vibration-induced illusion in which concurrent tactile input induces a vivid thermal sensation at the tactile site, is a promising mechanism for wearable interfaces and extended reality because it can deliver rich thermal feedback with minimal hardware. While prior work has examined this phenomenon on limited body parts, its expression across the full body remains under exploration. We present four studies mapping thermal masking across eight regions: head, face, neck, arms, hands, torso, legs, and feet. Results show that masking strength is location-dependent, producing perceptual patterns that align primarily with somatosensory pathways rather than proximity. On smaller regions such as the fingers, masking was localized, while on larger areas such as the torso and neck, it extended more broadly. Dorsal–ventral and inter-body tests revealed viable pairings and perceptual boundaries. These findings provide the first comprehensive atlas of body-wide thermal masking, advancing understanding and guiding efficient thermal–tactile interface design.

This study explores the impact of combining multiple senses on how people perceive wetness in mid-air. We examine how factors like temperature, pressure, and visual stimuli influence the illusion of wetness on users’ palms. The first user study examines these effects and the complex relationships between these variables. The findings suggest that increased temperature and pressure increase the likelihood of perceiving wetness. Interestingly, we note the influence of visual scene content on wetness perception. This leads to our second user study, which investigates how visual context impacts wetness perception. The results demonstrate a strong link between visual content and wetness perception, offering valuable insights for designing immersive virtual reality experiences that enhance sensory perception.

This study presents a novel method for creating moving thermal sensations by integrating the thermal referral illusion with tactile motion. Conducted through three experiments on human forearms, the first experiment examined the impact of temperature and thermal actuator placement on perceived thermal motion, finding the clearest perception with a centrally positioned actuator under both hot and cold conditions. The second experiment identified the speed thresholds of perceived thermal motion, revealing a wider detectable range in hot conditions (1.8 cm/s to 9.5cm/s) compared to cold conditions (2.4cm/s to 5.0cm/s). Finally, we integrated our approach into virtual reality (VR) to assess its feasibility through two interaction scenarios. Our results shed light on the comprehension of thermal perception and its integration with tactile cues, promising significant advancements in incorporating thermal motion into diverse thermal interfaces for immersive VR experiences.