Relaxation is a critical counterbalance to the demands of modern business life. Footbaths, a simple yet highly effective therapeutic practice, have been used for centuries across various cultures to promote relaxation and overall well-being. This study presents a novel approach to simulating the experience of a public footbath through the use of tactile and thermal stimulation of airflow to the calf and those on the foot soles. Our system aims to offer a realistic and immersive virtual footbath experience without the need for actual water, by controlling the temperature and airflow to mimic the sensation of soaking feet in water or a water wave. Without using actual water, our system can be more compact, highly responsive, and more reproducible. The layer of airflow is made as thin as possible by adjusting air outlet, and the Coanda effect is also considered to generate a water surface more realistic. The system can provide a multi-sensory experience, including visual and audio feedback of water flow, enhancing the relaxation and therapeutic benefits of a footbath.

翻译：放松是平衡现代商务生活压力的关键方式。足浴作为一种简单而高效的理疗方式，数个世纪以来在不同文化中被广泛用于促进放松与整体健康。本研究提出一种创新方法，通过在小腿与足底施加气流触觉与热刺激，模拟公共足浴的体验。该系统通过控制温度与气流来模拟足部浸水或水波触感，旨在提供无需真实用水的逼真沉浸式虚拟足浴体验。由于不使用真实水体，本系统可设计得更为紧凑，响应速度更快，且体验重现性更高。通过调节出风口使气流层尽可能薄，并利用科恩达效应以生成更逼真的水面模拟。该系统能提供多感官体验，包括水流视觉与听觉反馈，从而增强足浴的放松与理疗效果。