ThermoTouch

Peltier modules are the standard for VR thermal feedback. They're also heavy (50g), slow (70ms response), and power-hungry (5-10W continuous). ThermoTouch replaces active heat pumping with phase-change materials and resistive heating.

Microencapsulated n-alkane paraffin (melting point 32-34C) in a silicone matrix absorbs heat from the skin through endothermic phase transition - no electricity needed for cooling. Resistive heating handles the warm side. 5x5mm actuators match human thermal receptor density (~1 per cm2) with air-gap isolation between cells to prevent crosstalk.

Simulation results:

• Cooling response: ~5-10ms (10-15x faster than Peltier)
• Heating response: ~250ms (matches human perceptual asymmetry - we're far more sensitive to cold)
• Weight: under 5g per actuator vs 50g for Peltier
• Power: 2W average vs 125W for a 10-module Peltier glove
• Battery life: 7.5 hours vs 18 minutes on the same 15Wh pack

FEA validation in Fusion 360 confirmed Peltier baseline (36-40C heating, 18-24C cooling) matching published ThermalWear data within 4%.

Limitations: 250ms heating is borderline. PCM regeneration takes 8-10s after sustained contact (>3 min). Encapsulation durability over 10,000+ flex cycles is untested.

Next: transient thermal simulation, flexible PCB fabrication, single-cell prototype with IR camera validation, then 4x4 array and 20-participant user study.

Status: Phase 1 complete (FEA validation), Phase 2 in progress (prototype design)

Stack: Fusion 360, FEA thermal simulation, flexible PCB design