jelly-like companion trutru changes skin, temperature and personalities when users touch it
Portable gadget that can mimic wood, sand, and stone
Concept jelly-like tactile companion TruTru can change its skin, temperature, and personalities when users touch it. A device created by JUE Design and Research Studio in collaboration with the Intelligent Human-Machine Mechanical Interface Lab at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the gadget is designed to work as a personal companion that interacts with its owner through touch. It uses haptics to produce physical sensations that feel like contact with different materials and movements. The concept object has a soft, rounded body made from translucent material, and its surface diffuses light that can show different brightness levels. The body houses sensors, temperature regulators, vibration modules, and a surface control system that adjusts texture and friction.
These parts work together to create touch sensations such as softness, roughness, warmth, or rhythm. The outer shell contains layers that can slightly expand or contract to produce physical movement and temperature change. The concept jelly-like companion TruTru uses sensors and actuators to recreate textures found in nature and control vibration, temperature, and skin changes that imitate real materials such as wood, sand, stone, or fabric. It can also simulate movements like rain, water ripples, wind, or heartbeat using electrical control of micro-heaters, piezoelectric actuators, and friction pads (the surface can change between states in less than a second).
all images courtesy of JUE Design
three companion modes for concept jelly-like device TruTru
The concept jelly-like companion TruTru, which is a collaboration between JUE Design, Research Studio, and the IHMMI Lab, studies how touch can create emotional connection and well-being in a digital world where people often interact through screens. It operates through three preset modes: Companion Mode, Meditation Mode, and Sleep Mode. In Companion Mode, the device detects nearby movement with proximity sensors, and when someone approaches, its surface emits a faint glow that changes as distance decreases. When touched, the device produces tactile responses such as pulses, tremors, or soft temperature shifts.
Meditation Mode produces slow, continuous tactile sequences similar to breathing or heartbeat. These vibration and warmth patterns are designed to help the user focus on body awareness. Sleep Mode helps the users get some rest by lowering its temperature between 33°C and 35°C, a range that matches natural skin warmth. In this mode, users can hold the gadget, and the device reduces light emission and operates with long, low-frequency pulses that imitate calm breathing. Users can create their own Custom Modes using the dedicated app, and here they can also adjust TruTru’s vibration strength, rhythm, temperature, and light patterns.
concept jelly-like tactile companion TruTru can change its skin, temperature, and personalities when users touch it
Four personalities with distinct light and vibration settings
The device comes with several characters or personalities with distinct response behaviors. These versions are called Huu TruTru, Wuu TruTru, Shu TruTru, and Muu TruTru. Each version has a preset tactile personality. Huu produces spontaneous tactile responses and frequent vibration changes, while Wuu gives minimal response with lighter tremors. There’s Shu, which uses light signals to invite interaction and Muu, which keeps a consistent rhythm across all modes. The gadget is also modular and includes a main body and detachable arms. The arms can be replaced with different strap types and attachment systems, and this detachable design allows the concept jelly-like companion TruTru to be held in the hand, clipped to a bag, worn across the body, or placed nearby. It can also be used in different environments, such as at home, at work, while traveling, or in therapy sessions.
Each arm contains connectors that pass data and power, so the device continues to operate in any configuration. The design includes a lighting system under the translucent surface, acting as feedback signals that show the device’s state. For example, soft pulses may show rest mode, while steady light may indicate active mode. The light also works as a communication channel, signaling readiness or reaction to touch. When not in use, the device dims automatically to save energy. The concept jelly-like companion TruTru works by touching it instead of buttons or screens. A double tap activates or changes tactile feedback. A shake switches between modes. If the device detects no interaction for a set time, it enters sleep mode. Another gentle shake reactivates it. In this time of digital screens, a physical companion device like TruTru can allow users to stay in touch with the real world.
the gadget is designed to work as a personal companion that interacts with its owner through touch
its modular arms allow users to carry it anywhere they go
the concept object has a soft, rounded body made from translucent material, and its surface diffuses light
view of the device’s modular arms
the gadgets comes with four ‘personalities’ with distinct behaviors
project info:
name: TruTru
design: JUE Design, Research Studio, Intelligent Human-Machine Mechanical Interface Lab at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University | @hongkongpolyu
team: Ruoran (Lerena) Zhao, Martina Li, Yuan Ma, Megan Tan, Zhirui Liu, Yi Tang, Wenhao Xue, Jialu Xu
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