Concertgoers are fitted with haptic suits designed for the deaf by Music: Not Impossible, during a … [+]
Haptic technology creates a real touch sensation on the device. It is part of the foundation of a virtual and augmented reality (XR and VR) experience, bringing the realism of touch, taste and smell in some cases to an XR experience.
A new report in Fortune Business Insights notes that haptic technology will reach $7.31 billion by 2030. The report shows the growing need for full immersion in consumer electronics.
In 2011, at the IEEE World Haptics conference, they predicted that advanced touch capabilities would be generally available by 2020 and users would be able to touch and manipulate what they see on screens and feel the shape, texture and gentleness.
Ten years ago, Fujitsu Labs debuted the next generation of touch – a prototype of a haptic sensing tablet at the Mobile World Congress in 2014. Fujitsu Lab’s new haptic sensor technology can simulate 3D geometric features such as bumps, ridges, edges and extensions to touch screen surfaces.
It’s been a long time.
A scientific paper in Nature published earlier this year in May, noted that haptic feedback technology is still in its infancy, and bridging the gap between haptic technology and the real world to enable ambient haptic feedback on a physical surface is a challenge in the field of human-computer interaction. The paper was based on research to create an active electronic (AE) skin that would be an interface to ambient haptic feedback on physical surfaces.
Changing the haptic landscape
“As a society, we are fascinated by the wonders of immersive entertainment, and incorporating tactile and haptic feedback is a way to engage the senses beyond sight and hearing, offering deeper immersion in interconnected experiences,” Philippe Guillotel, Distinguished Scientist at InterDigital. In the coming years, haptic devices will explode due to growing demand from the addressable market, including TVs, game consoles, smartphones and headphones, now that there is a push towards a more homogeneous market.”
Guillotel says haptics have advanced since 2021. “When MPEG established haptics as a ‘first-order media type,’ it effectively promoted haptics to the same level as audio and video,” Guillotel said.
Earlier this year, in April 2024, SenseGlove announced its wireless VR gloves that feature palm feedback. The gloves combine three haptic feedback technologies in a compact wireless design: active contact feedback to sense palm impacts and grip sensations, forced feedback to sense the size and stiffness of virtual objects, and vibrotactile feedback to sense marks and textures base.
The company says the glove doesn’t restrict finger movements around virtual objects, but instead encompasses the entire palm, enabling users to feel a variety of interactions, from cracking an egg to shaking hands.
Live sports
Guillotel says haptics add another layer to immersive visual and sensory experiences, helping everyone engage with content or even live experiences.
An example of the power of haptics is the sensory shirts used by Newcastle Football Club. Newcastle FC implanted speakers in the shirts of deaf fans so they could hear the sounds of the crowd at matches. The shirts used conductive textiles and haptic modules integrated into the fabric. Broadcast microphones capture sound around the field, which is then converted from analog to digital format by software. The software transforms crowd noise into touch data that is wirelessly transmitted to the shirt via an antenna in real time.
On August 20, 2024, D-BOX Technologies, known for its motion cinema seats, announced the renewal of a three-year licensing rights agreement with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The company offers a range of haptic technology solutions, including sim racing and comprehensive training.
Human connection, STEM learning and military applications“Social communication will benefit from haptics,” said Guillotel. “This is not just for people who may be hard of hearing, as demonstrated by Newcastle FC’s experience, but for more traditional non-verbal communication where haptic-enhanced messages, pictures or sounds could be the next wave.
In 2023, researchers at NTT Docomo, Keio University, and Nagoya Institute of Technology developed sensation-sharing technology that allows users to digitally send movements or tactile sensations—such as fabric texture or clay molding—with another person miles away. . Researchers said this adds another layer to human communications.
STEM learning
The tablet has transformed the way teachers can use technology to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in early childhood classrooms. However, a challenge for mobile devices in STEM learning is the lack of sensory information.
A 2024 study from the University of Illinois analyzed 12 papers covering haptic or tactile learning applications for children between the ages of three and 18. These included handwriting, reading, STEM education and cooperative learning.
The SpARklingPaper device combines visual feedback from a tablet with the real-world touch experience of a pen and paper. Another educational haptic device, the Phantom Omni, uses force feedback to help visually impaired children interact with 3D shapes.
The study highlights handwriting as an area where haptic technology can influence learning strategies.
Amal Hatira, the lead author of the study published in Advanced intelligent systems, he said feedback helps with fine motor control and handwriting skills and provides guidance to students to improve their writing skills. Hatira also said that geometry/spatial cognition and collaborative learning environments are other areas where haptic technology can benefit students.
Military applications
In 2021, the US military announced that it was investing in haptic technology for training. Earlier this year, Meta licensed the new haptic technology and signed an agreement with Immersion Corporation to leverage its patents to improve Meta’s XR hardware, software and products. Immersion Corporation’s patented technology enhances realism and immersion during an AR/VR/MR experience, such as training, where haptics can simulate real-world assets.
Growth through standardizationHowever, InterDigital’s Guillotel says the lack of standards leads to fragmentation and low adoption of new technologies, because standards define the interaction between platforms and vendors.
“Currently, haptic standards are fragmented, which increases developer costs and lowers adoption rates. Like audio and visual, openers need standards to ensure that all aspects involved in end-to-end technology delivery are compatible,” Guillotel said.
“MPEG has been instrumental in the development of immersive media and has adopted haptics as a recognized first-order media type in media format files, which includes the widely used .3gp and .mp4 video formats. Streaming protocols have expanded also to support the transport of haptics,” said Guillotel.
Personal electronics“With the haptics market expected to grow to more than 4.1 billion haptic-enabled devices by the end of 2024, this number is expected to grow further to 6.7 billion devices by 2028,” Guillotel said. “Ultimately, it is personal electronics that will drive this boom, with smartphones accounting for 79% of haptic-enhanced AV entertainment devices, and this will represent just 59% of haptic devices by 2028 as the mix of other haptic-equipped products increases.
“Today, haptics are seen as a content enhancement and not fully immersive, but as standards are increasingly ratified, that will change,” Guillotel said. “In XR, haptics offer an opportunity to create realistic scenarios where this tactile feedback allows the user to use all of their senses.”
Augmented reality
“Augmented Reality is a key market for wearables, and by 2028, we expect to see some big leaps in the headset market resulting in a renewed excitement for VR experiences, which has a knock-on effect on haptic devices. ,” he added.
Guillotel believes cost is holding back growth.
“XR handles with built-in haptics can cost more than $2,000. And, because the diverse ecosystem of the device prevents interaction without additional configuration, developers do not invest in high-quality haptic performance due to higher costs and time to implement,” he added.
Guillotel says there’s a few things to be excited about once we get over the cost barrier.
“It should be possible to stream or broadcast fully immersive experiences using the opener and how haptics can enhance consumer devices like headphones or a smartphone,” said Guillotel, “Think haptic emoji.”