by With the introduction of iOS 16, Apple added haptic keyboard functionality to its brand new iPhone. Although not the first device with haptic feedback, Apple’s high design standards and widespread popularity mean that more people than ever have the option of using haptic technology with their smartphones.
That said, What is Haptics on the iPhone devices? And what are they designed for?
What is Haptic Feedback?
Haptic feedback (also known as tactile feedback) is the term for a technology that uses physical responses — usually a vibration pattern — to indicate a certain effect or function on an interactive device. Most people are familiar with the “vibrate” feature on their cell phones or smartphones.
However, haptic feedback takes this a step further.
Rather than a series of vibration patterns that notify the user of incoming calls, voicemails or new texts, haptic feedback occurs in the form of more subtle vibrations when the user touches the phone’s screen.
Haptic feedback also changes based on the specific function being toggled, enhancing user interactions. This can start with a slight vibration that occurs when the user is typing, and can vary in intensity or duration, depending on the task.
A brief overview of Haptic Feedback in Smartphones
Samsung launched the first mobile phone with haptics in 2008. It was called the Anycall Haptic, and the phone had a large touchscreen display just like the iPhone. But it made Apple’s revolutionary gadget one better: Enabling users to hear what happens when they feel, vibrate and other tactile feedback.
In total, it added 22 types of vibration patterns to the user interaction.
As with all consumer technology, the race for market share is always on. Many mobile phone companies, including LG, OnePlus, Google’s Pixel and Samsung, have jumped on the haptics train. There seems to be no end to improving the user experience, so there will likely be more options to come.
Where Does The Word ‘Haptic’ Come From?
Haptic is from the Greek haptesthai, meaning contact. As an adjective, it means relating to or based on the sense of touch. As a noun, usually used in the plural form ( haptics ), it means the science and physiology of the sense of touch.
How Does Haptic Feedback Work on iPhones?
iPhone haptics are relatively simple, technologically speaking. A small motor in the body of the phone provides the vibration pattern. This is controlled by the software, which allows the user to turn haptic feedback on or off, depending on their preference.
One significant drawback has to do with battery life. Providing tactile responses requires battery power, as the small motor must be operated each time the haptic feedback is toggled. If you prefer a tactile sensation every time you use the keyboard, you may notice that your battery life is shorter.
However, disabling haptics is an option. It’s probably a good idea to try haptic feedback first and decide if it’s the kind of thing you want in your phone experience.
How is Haptic Feedback Studied?
Scientists have studied haptics for many years, and know quite a bit about the biology of touch. They know, for example, what type of receptors are in the skin and how nerves send information back and forth between the central nervous system and the point of contact.
As a field of study, haptics closely follows the growth and evolution of automation. Before the industrial revolution, scientists focused on how living things experienced contact. Biologists learned that even simple organisms, such as jellyfish and worms, possessed sophisticated tactile feedback systems.
In the early 20th century, psychologists and medical researchers actively studied how people experience touch. Appropriately, this branch of science was called human haptics, and it showed that the human hand, the basic structure of the sense of touch, was extremely complex.
Haptic Feedback in Virtual Reality
Computer scientists have had great difficulty translating the basic sense of touch into their virtual reality and augmented reality systems. Visual and auditory cues are easy to replicate in computer-generated models, but tactile sensations are more problematic.
It is almost impossible to enable a user to feel something happening in the mind of the computer through a typical interface. Sure, keyboards allow users to type words, and joysticks and steering wheels can vibrate. But how can a user touch virtual objects inside the virtual world?
How, for example, does a video game player feel the cold hard steel of his character’s weapon? How can an astronaut, training in a computer simulator, feel the weight and rough texture of a virtual lunar rock?
Since the 1980s, computer scientists have been trying to answer these questions. His field is a specialized subset of haptics known as computer haptics. Although far from full virtual reality, there have been recent advances in tactile feedback in VR interfaces.
Helping the Blind and Partially Sighted to Feel the City
Computer scientists in Greece are incorporating haptic feedback as accessibility features into interactive maps for the visually impaired. To create a map, researchers shot a video of a real-world location, be it an architectural model of a building or a city block.
Software evaluates the video, frame by frame, to determine the shape and position of each object. The data results in a three-dimensional grid of force fields for each structure.
Using wearable technology including a haptic interface device, a blind person can experience these as tactile sensations and, combined with audio cues, get a much better feel for the layout of a city or building.
The Importance of Haptic Technology
In video games, adding haptic feedback is nice. It increases the reality of the game and, as a result, improves user interactions. But in training and other applications, haptic interfaces are critical. That’s because the sense of touch provides rich, detailed information about an object.
When combined with other senses, especially sight, haptic feedback greatly increases the amount of information sent to the brain for processing.
By offering “tactile confirmation”, there is an increase in information for the user. This reduces user error, as well as the time it takes to complete a task.
Original article: What Are Haptics on iPhone Devices and Why Are They There?
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