Embodiments also relate to a haptic communication system to convey speech messages to a receiving user. A sending user may utter speech sounds or type in a text message into a speech signal generator that generates speech signals corresponding to the speech sounds or the textual message. A temporal envelope of the speech signals is used to convey the speech messages to the receiving user. The temporal envelope represents changes in amplitude of the speech signals. Carrier signals having a periodic waveform are generated and altered using the changes in amplitude of the speech signals to create actuator signals to convey a representation of the temporal envelope to cutaneous actuators. The cutaneous actuators generate haptic vibrations based on the actuator signals. The haptic vibrations represent the speech sounds or textual message that the receiving user is able to understand.