The global haptic component market will be worth $4.8 billion by 2030, according to research firm IDTechEx.
Haptics is a tactile feedback technology that simulates the sense of touch through motions, forces and vibrations. It has the potential to change the way people experience content and interact with on-screen interfaces.
Now that the Consumer Electronics Show frenzy has passed, we have an opportunity to take a new look at announcements in the haptic ecosystem. For a more nuanced view, EE Times has consulted James Hayward, principal technology analyst at IDTechEx.
On the CES 2020 show floor, Seattle-based HaptX showcased haptic feedback gloves for use in VR, training, and robotics, France’s Hap2U demonstrated its Hap2phone haptic smartphone display, which allows users to feel and sense objects on touchscreens, while Canada’s Boréas Technologies introduced what it claims is the first low-power high-voltage piezoelectric driver IC to enable high-definition haptic feedback in automotive human-machine interfaces (HMIs). In the meantime, TDK and Immersion demonstrated the ability to incorporate various haptic effects on a large touchscreen using a single piezoelectric actuator. The reference design demonstrator, built with TDK’s PowerHap piezoelectric actuator and Immersion’s Active Sensing technology, illustrates the use of haptics to deliver realistic touch feedback for buttons, dials, switches, and textures in programmable automotive HMIs.
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it gives an idea of the technology approaches startups and more established companies are betting on.
