Comparing Thermal and Haptic Feedback Mechanisms for Game Controllers

We investigate the use of thermal feedback, i.e. the feeling of warmth and cold, as an output mechanism for hand-held device user interfaces (UIs). In a prototype implementation, we enhanced a console game controller with thermal elements, positioned under the user’s fingertips. The prototype was evaluated using a simple video game, where the user was required to locate targets based on output cues. In a user study (n = 21) the performance and user experience of using visual, vibrotactile and thermal forms of feedback in the game were compared. Our salient findings suggest that thermal UI feedback is suited for presenting ambient information cues or creating an atmosphere.