The housing 1632 for each cutaneous actuator 1602 in the array of cutaneous actuators may be mounted on a rigid substrate 1614 (shown below in FIG. 16H) to form the haptic communication device 1630. The housing 1632 increases localization of haptic effects on the body 1618 by focusing the haptic vibrations 1616 on the body 1618. In some embodiments, the housing 1632 may be made of molded plastic, machined plastic, or 3D-printed plastic. For example, the housing 1632 may be made by using a mold that is filled with pliable plastic material. The plastic hardens or sets inside the mold, adopting its shape. In another example, the housing 1632 may be made by taking a piece of plastic and cutting into a desired final shape and size by a controlled material-removal process (machining). In another example, the housing 1632 may be made by joining or solidifying plastic material under computer control to create the three-dimensional housing 1632 (3D printing).
In some embodiments, the housing 1632 may be made of VeroWhite, nylon, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), or polycarbonate. In some embodiments, the housing 1632 may be machined out of polycarbonate or nylon, or 3-D printed ABS for ease of manufacturing and biocompatibility with human skin. VeroWhite is an opaque Polyjet resin that is used when prototyping new designs and can also be used for creating end-use products. ABS is a two phase polymer blend having rigidity, hardness, and heat resistance. Polycarbonate is a synthetic resin in which the polymer units are linked through carbonate groups, and is used for molding materials and films.