Touch This Device and It Changes Texture, Temperature, and More

Over the past few decades, we’ve been introduced to plenty of interactive companions, whether it be a virtual pet like a Tamagotchi or a robotic plush toy like a Furby. For JUE Design and Research Studio, though, these options lacked a more sensory interface. It didn’t take long for JUE to join forces with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, whose Intelligent Human Machine Mechanical Interface Lab supported the conceptualization of TruTru.

Deftly combining haptic, textural, and visual feedback, TruTru assumes the form of an amorphous, jelly-like creature, complete with a translucent, glowing exterior. The device directly engages with its user through touch, offering a range of responses based on its sensors, temperature regulators, and vibration modules. Aside from emitting a soft light, TruTru can also replicate both natural and artificial surfaces, ranging from stone, wood, and sand to fabric, rubber, and ceramics, achieved through a surface control system that carefully adjusts texture and friction. TruTru can even mimic more fleeting or precious sensations, such as falling rain, swishing wind, fluttering butterfly wings, or rippling water.

Described as a “small, sentient being” by JUE Design, TruTru features several modes depending on its user’s preference. Companion Mode, for instance, heightens the device’s sensitivity to its surroundings, anticipating nearby movement by glowing and initiating tactile sensations. Sleep Mode, on the other hand, supports rest through slow, low-frequency sequences that echo the body’s natural rhythms, including breath and resting heart rate. In this mode, TruTru’s thermal feedback is also maintained between 33°C and 35°C (about 91°F to 95°F), temperatures known to relax the body. These core modes can be complemented through personalization, encouraging its users to tailor their TruTru to their own individual needs.

Beyond that, TruTru boasts four distinct personalities: Huu, Wuu, Shu, and Muu. Each bears a different color, default haptic behavior, gesture responses, and light patterns. To enhance responsiveness, these characteristics can be further altered by its user, together with a companion app. Modular arms add yet another layer of customization, allowing users to switch between different lengths and attachment styles with ease.

“In an increasingly digital world, where virtual interaction dominates, TruTru offers a counterbalance—an embodied presence shaped through touch,” JUE Design writes of the device. “Designed not just to be felt, but to comfort, ground, and connect, TruTru reframes haptic design as a sensory language of care.”

To learn more about this innovative product and its conceptualization, visit the JUE Design and Research Studio website.