On The Cutting Edge - Getting In Touch With Haptics

As mobile computing becomes more pervasive, the quality of mobile data networks and the capabilities of mobile devices are getting stronger, spurring the development of cooler, more innovative and more user-friendly applications for handheld resource-constrained devices.

One intriguing user-centric concept is haptics - delivering feedback to a user's sense of touch rather than relying only on visual and audio cues. Leading-edge developers are finding creative ways to turn mobile device vibrator motors into haptic agents, enhancing their applications and improving user experience:

  • In games, haptics allow the user to feel immersed in the action. If you strike an opponent, you feel the jolt up your arm; if you drive your car off the road, you feel the grumble of gravel under the wheels.
  • Haptic ring tones can quietly deliver a meaningful message to the user without disturbing others, and without requiring the user to look at the handset's screen. This is already possible on a wide range of Motorola handsets: the vibration pattern can be changed to match special ring tones you may have for individual callers.
  • Haptic phone signals can relay vital information to users. Consider dropped calls: a user can tell that the call is gone by looking at the display - but that's generally far too late. Convert that visual alert into a haptic alert through vibration, and the user can respond immediately.

Many other implementations are possible. Haptic-enhanced audio and video applications are being developed that vibrate in sync with the music. The adult entertainment industry has begun using haptics for interactive experiences. And location based applications can be configured to use tailored haptic alerts matched to specific locations.

Java ME defines the [vibrate(int duration)] method in the display class used to activate the vibrator in handsets. As more innovative applications continue to be developed, use of the vibrator motor will become more common. In the end, haptic uses of the mobile handset are limited only by the creativity of the developer.>

-- Asokan Thiyagarajan, Motorola Technology Evangelist

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