UMSS20 Student Profile: Nicholas Soucy

Nicholas Soucy, Physics
THED: Thermal Hand Experience Device
Mentored by Nimesha Ranasinghe

Nicholas Soucy is developing a Thermal Hand Experience Device (THED), which allows users to feel thermal sensations in virtual reality on the hands. The sensations are both hot and cold and occur in real time. This will create a more fulfilling virtual reality experience, but it can also be useful in police simulations or even in physical virtual reality therapy.

“I dreamed of a device that would allow users to feel a campfire, or feel the cool of a snowball before they threw it at their friend,” says Soucy as he describes how the idea of THED came to life.