Haptic technology

Haptic technology creates the feeling of touch by using forces, vibrations, or motions. This lets people feel virtual objects and events in a computer simulation, control virtual objects, or improve the way we control machines from far away. Simple haptic devices are found in everyday items like game controllers, joysticks, and steering wheels.

The word haptic comes from Ancient Greek and means "tactile, pertaining to the sense of touch." Haptic technology helps scientists study how our sense of touch works by letting them create controlled virtual objects that feel real. It also adds vibrations and other touch-related cues to mobile phones and other devices to improve how we use them.

Researchers usually talk about three sensory systems related to touch in humans: cutaneous, kinaesthetic, and haptic. All feelings that come from the skin and muscles are called tactual perception. The idea of "haptic" often refers to active touch, like when we reach out to feel or recognize something.

History

One of the first uses of haptic technology was in large aircraft that used special systems to move parts of the plane. In smaller planes, pilots could feel vibrations when the plane was getting too close to stopping flying, which helped them know when to be careful.

In the 1960s, a man named Paul Bach-y-Rita created a system using metal rods that could move up and down to help people "see" with their backs by feeling patterns. Later, in the 1970s, the first patent for a telephone that could let people feel vibrations was granted.

In 1994, a special vest called the Aura Interactor was made. This vest could turn bass sounds from music or TV into vibrations that felt like punches or kicks. In 1995, a device called the PHANToM was created, letting people feel objects on a computer screen by putting their fingers in special handles. Also in 1995, a wristwatch was designed to tap to send messages to mobile phones using Bluetooth. In 2015, the Apple Watch used similar tapping to send alerts.

Types of mechanical touch sensing

Our skin has special sensors called mechanoreceptors that help us feel things. These sensors can be grouped into two types: fast acting (FA) and slow acting (SA). SA sensors notice bigger pressures and slower changes, while FA sensors pick up smaller pressures and quicker changes.

SA sensors can feel textures that are more than 200 micrometers thick, and FA sensors can feel textures as thin as 1 micrometer. FA sensors are very good at feeling tiny vibrations and details on surfaces.

Implementation

Haptic feedback uses vibrations at special speeds and times to make you feel actions in a game, like bumps or taps on your hand.

Most devices that use haptic feedback shake using a special part called an eccentric rotating mass. Another way to make vibrations is with piezoelectric actuators, which can be very precise but need more power.

One common way to feel feedback in games is when the game controller shakes. In 1976, a game called Moto-Cross was the first to make the controller shake during collisions.

Force feedback uses motors to move things the user holds, like steering wheels in driving games. In 2007, a device called the Falcon was made to let people feel objects and movements in games.

Air vortex rings are rings of air that can push things from a distance. Ultrasound can also make you feel pressure without touching anything.

Electrical stimulation can make your skin or muscles feel different sensations, like weight or resistance, and can even help with training muscles.

Applications

Haptic technology lets people feel touches and movements that aren’t really there. It’s used in many places to help make things more real and easier to control.

In controlling machines from far away, like robots, haptic feedback helps operators feel what the robot is touching. This is important for tasks like handling dangerous materials or operating tools in space. It’s also used in medical training, letting doctors practice surgeries by feeling virtual tools and tissues.

In everyday devices like video games, phones, and cars, haptic feedback makes screens and controllers vibrate or move to give users more information. For example, a game might make a controller rumble when a car crashes, or a phone might vibrate when you tap the screen. This helps users feel more connected to what they’re doing.

Haptics is also being used in virtual reality to let people feel objects and movements in digital worlds. It can make a game feel more real by letting players feel explosions or the wind. This technology is also helping people who can’t see or hear by turning sounds and words into vibrations they can feel on their skin.