In video games, adding haptic abilities is nice to have. It increases the reality of the game and therefore the satisfaction of the user. But in training and other applications, haptic interfaces are crucial. Indeed, the sense of touch transmits rich and detailed information about an object. When combined with other senses, especially vision, touch greatly increases the amount of information sent to the brain for processing. Increasing information reduces user errors as well as the time it takes to complete a task. It also reduces the energy consumption and the magnitude of the contact forces used in a teleoperation situation. Basically, “haptic” means everything that has to do with the sense of touch. (It is derived from the Greek word for touch.) The task of transmitting haptic images to the user is the responsibility of the interface device.
In many ways, the interface device is analogous to a mouse, except that a mouse is a passive device that cannot communicate synthesized haptic data to the user. Let`s look at some specific haptic systems to understand how these devices work. Notification haptics provide feedback on the outcome of a task or action, such as filing a check or unlocking a vehicle. On iPhones with 3D Touch, capacitive sensors are integrated directly into the screen. When a press is detected, these capacitive sensors measure microscopic changes in the distance between the backlight and the cover glass. On Apple Watch, a series of electrodes bend the curvature of the screen. When a press is detected, these electrodes determine the pressure applied. Trackpads use a similar mechanism, although sensory information is determined by a series of four sensors that align with the corners of the trackpad. The detected pressure is then transmitted to the Taptic Engine, which is Apple`s haptic feedback engine.
The electromagnetic linear actuator of the Taptic motor is able to reach its peak power in a single cycle, producing vibrations lasting 10 milliseconds. Unlike typical motors, the linear actuator does not rotate, but oscillates back and forth. The Taptic Motor generates immediate haptic feedback without having to balance the mass balance. The haptic feedback generated can be accompanied by an audible sound. [9] This helps to attract the user`s attention to convey important information such as success, warning or failure. [10] Each haptic type is defined for a specific purpose in order to convey a specific meaning. [9] These sensations explain the use of the term haptic in the name. Haptic comes from the Greek “haptesthai”, which means “to touch”.
As an adjective, it means to refer to or rely on the sense of touch. As a noun, which is usually used in the plural (haptic), it means the science and physiology of the sense of touch. Scientists have been studying haptics for decades and know a lot about the biology of touch. For example, they know what kind of receptors are in the skin and how nerves carry information between the central nervous system and the point of contact. Although the terms are closely related, they are not exactly the same. Haptics is actually a broader category that includes both haptic technology and haptic feedback, as well as the physiology and neuroscience of touch. Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive – there are thousands of different ways to use haptics in our lives, from some smart TV remotes to digital dashboards in cars to high-tech medical training devices that help students perform surgeries before they are ready to operate on real people. It is not difficult to think of ways to apply haptics. Video game makers were the first to adopt passive haptics, which uses vibrating joysticks, controllers, and steering wheels to amplify on-screen activity. But future video games will allow players to feel and manipulate solids, liquids, tools and virtual avatars. Haptic controller Novint Falcon is already putting this promise into practice. With the 3D force feedback controller, you can tell the difference between a pistol ratio and a shotgun shot, or feel the resistance of the string of a long bow when you remove an arrow.
Haptic Touch is a feature on the iPhone XR (but not on the iPhone XS) and later iPhone models that replaces 3D Touch. The touchscreen, which no longer has a pressure-sensitive layer, distinguishes between a tap and a long press with a delayed delay to activate certain 3D touch functions (only those for elements that are not associated with a long press). This feature has been added to the iPhone SE (1. Generation) with the iOS 13 update and any iPad that can run iPadOS 13. Starting with watchOS 7, only Haptic Touch is detected and Force Touch is set on all subsequent Apple Watches. [5] If you have an iPhone model older than this, you can have 3D Touch instead, which is similar. Although Haptic Touch is software-based – it emits vibrations depending on how long you touch the screen or where you slide – 3D Touch is hardware-based – it emits vibrations depending on how hard you touch the screen. Click. Gives the impression that a watch face clicks or progresses in predefined steps or intervals. Use this feeling sparingly. Overuse of the click sensation reduces its usefulness and can even be confusing when clicks overlap. Vibrotactile Vibrotactile technology is probably the most widely used type of technology in haptic devices for VIRTUAL REALITY.
Typical solutions are the rumbling sensation of ERM (Eccentric Rotating Mass) towards more expressive LRA (Linear Resonant Actuators) and high-bandwidth actuators such as VCM (Voice Coil Motors) or PZT (Piezoelectric Actuators). Devices equipped with these actuators are able to consistently provide vibration patterns useful for improving the user experience in virtual reality scenarios.