Huggy Pajama

Huggy Pajama is a novel wearable system aimed at promoting physical interaction in remote communication between parent and child. This system enables parents and children to hug one another through a novel hugging interface device and a wearable, hug reproducing pajama connected through the Internet. The hugging device is a small, mobile doll with an embedded pressure sensing circuit that is able to accurately sense varying levels of the range of human force produced from natural touch. This device sends hug signals to a haptic jacket that simulates the feeling of being hugged to the wearer. It features air pockets actuating to reproduce hug, heating elements to produce warmth that accompanies hug, and color changing pattern and accessory to indicate distance of separation and communicate expressions. In this paper, we present the system design of Huggy Pajama.