  We propose a new robotic cover prototype that achieves thermal display while
also being soft. We focus on the thermal cue because previous human studies
have identified it as part of the touch pleasantness. The robotic cover surface
can be regulated to the desired temperature by circulating water through a
thermally conductive pipe embedded in the cover, of which temperature is
controlled. Besides, an observer for estimating heat from human contact is
implemented; it can detect human interaction while displaying the desired
temperature without temperature sensing on the surface directly. We assessed
the validity of the prototype in experiments of temperature control and contact
detection by human hand.
