PhantomFeel Dots: Augmenting the eating experience with thermal and vibrotactile stimuli on the face and throat

We propose PhantomFeel Dots, a wearable system that modulates sensation via thermal and vibrotactile stimuli applied to the cheeks and throat. Sensors added to the tableware detect its movement and temperature, and determine whether the user is eating or drinking. Based on this information, four DataFeel Dots worn on the user's cheeks and throat provide real-time thermal and haptic feedback. We expect that preheating the cheeks before eating enhances flavor perception, and that thermal and vibrotactile stimulation to the throat may contribute to a pleasant “throat feel.” In addition, we plan to investigate whether gradually cooling the cheek dots and simultaneously heating the throat dots can evoke a thermal phantom sensation of warmth flowing from the mouth to the throat. This multisite, multimodal feedback enables dynamic modulation of eating experiences. We aim to offer rich, flexible eating experiences without modifying the food, tailored to individual sensory characteristics and dietary needs.