Resources
The Value of Haptics
A summary of recent published findings on the value of haptic feedback in human-computer interaction.
“. . . haptic feedback provides several benefits, not the least of which is, . . . an essential component in human-computer interaction . . . and has a quantifiable effect on efficiency and error rates as well as user satisfaction.”
Haptics: Improving the Mobile User Experience through Touch
Independent research suggests how haptics can be used to improve the user experience, and how operators can use haptics to increase differentiation and customer satisfaction, enhance brand, and drive additional revenue using high-value, haptic content and services.
“Yet because the mobile handset is such a capable and complex tool, and because people intuitively and effortlessly understand communication through touch, the mobile communications experience stands to gain immeasurably from the use of haptics technology.”
Driving Mobile Messaging ARPU with Advanced Haptics
MNOs aiming to take mobile messaging to the next level might consider a new media type: haptics. IDC research suggests it’s possible that adding advanced vibration features to standard rate or premium mobile messaging services could help fuel the next phase of market growth.
“Common characteristics among many premium mobile messaging services are that they’re fun and entertaining, can be highly personalized, include user-generated content, and deliver rich multimedia experiences that help connect people in a powerful new way.”
Next-generation TouchSense® Vibration
Components of Immersion’s new Rumble HD technology and the technical and aesthetic improvements and advantages it offers.
“With next-gen vibration, more subtlety is possible, such as the feeling of a nearby explosion that fades in intensity, which could now be felt along with fast, sharp machine gun fire hitting a nearby wall.”
Best Practices for Use of Vibration Feedback in Video Console Games
More than 11,000 gamers were asked about the best uses of rumble in console video games. Their verbatim comments reveal that rumble is vital, and why that is so: it adds realism, engagement, and fun to many game genres.
“It gives you a chance to feel like you are actually in the game. When you get hit, you feel the impact, etc. It’s much better because it gives you more of a hands-on enjoyment other than just looking through a screen.”
Current and Next Generation Game Console Feature Study by Ipsos Insight
Study goals were to survey active gamers over 18 years of age to develop a profile of video game players and determine use of rumble technology, and attitudes about its impact on game play for various game genres.
“Almost 3 in 4 respondents agree that rumble feedback enhances their game experience in one or more of these ways: makes the game more fun, involves the player more in the game, makes the game seem more real, helps the gamer play better.”
Harnessing Human Touch
Those who are first up the innovation curve set value and gain time, experience, and their advantages.
Why haptics? Why now?
With always-on access to unlimited quantities of information, the Information Age can’t get any better. In fact, our personal experiences with the flow of information are making us weary.
For suppliers with the vision to lead, this weariness presents an opportunity: The chance for a truly compelling experience that lets us do more than just observe and respond.
Information vs. Experience
Harnessing touch, the most obvious and intimate messenger, radically alters the way we connect to the world. Where digital information is two dimensional, something outside ourselves that we see, listen to, and read, touch is the missing piece, the sense that transforms information into experience.
Touch will guide us out of the Information Age with its single-minded focus on access to and quantity of data into an Experiential Age focused instead on the instinctual integration of data and the quality of our interactions with it.
Revolution is Normal
It’s always been this way. Technology innovation drives societal change, which creates economic opportunity. The Bronze, Iron, Industrial, and Information Ages all created great economic gains for those who saw the opportunity and acted swiftly.
The Age of Experience
Where will full-fidelity digital experiences take us? You can decide. But one thing is certain, experience does not regress: from mono to stereo to surround and beyond; from black & white to color to 16 million colors to HD and beyond. Those who are first up the innovation curve set value and gain time, experience, and their advantages. Those who are late are last.
Download the white paper (PDF)
“Touch is more than just the passive experience of “feeling” something. It is a means of communicating through direct experience. For example, petting a dog is more than “feeling fur.” It is the enjoyment that comes from sharing a moment with a beloved companion.”
Want to Learn More About Haptics?
A significant amount of research has been done on haptics technology. This paper gathers and collates various sources and references to provide a comprehensive resource of haptic studies including links to:.
- Immersion White Papers
- General Haptics Research & Background
- Enactivism & Embodied Cognition
- Perception and Action
- Developmental Psychology
- Artificial Intelligence
- Philosopy, Causal Understanding
- Printed Literature References
Haptics in Mobile: Consumer Attitudes about High-Definition Haptic Effects in Touch Screen Phones
This paper presents findings from a controlled study conducted to establish, through quantitative and qualitative research techniques, the value consumers give to the integration of haptics features in mobile phones.
Download the white paper (PDF)
The research was designed to ask the following questions:
- Do users like haptics in their mobile devices?
- How do they respond to different levels of haptics, such as low-resolution haptics features now available in phones, or high-definition (HD) haptics features that provide more refined effects?
- Can HD-enabled applications be used to influence user preference for a product?
- Are the haptics technologies now used in the industry sophisticated enough to interest the market or do HD haptics provide a better user experience?
- How will consumers respond to next-generation HD haptics applications?
As reported in this paper, consumers strongly appreciate haptics-enabled features for their mobile phones. The paper summarizes the study's leading conclusions, the methodology used in the research and its most important findings, along with recommendations that can be used to guide application development with haptics technologies.
Download the white paper (PDF)
The vast majority of respondents (~ 90%) said they prefer mobile phones that offer HD haptics compared to standard or no-haptics alternatives.
Enhancing Your Device Design Through Tactile Feedback
As with any UI element, haptics must be designed thoughtfully in order to achieve the desired experience. Users expect the sight, sound and feel of their experience to be consistent, rational and integrated. The combination of haptics with audio and visual UI can be breathtakingly effective if all these components work together, but can be confusing if poorly designed. To help guide the developer through the process, we’ve created a series of design recommendations for the most commonly implemented Gestures.
Download the white paper (PDF)
In addition to haptic reference designs for mechanical integration, a number of design tools, effect libraries and resources are also available to assist developers in optimizing haptics for their UI.
Haptics in Touch Screen Hand-Held Devices
Manufacturers have installed haptics in hundreds of millions of touch-screen consumer devices and the technology is becoming increasingly important in the hand-held market as vendors strive to differentiate their products and win customer loyalty. A broad range of technology options are available. This article summarizes the hardware and software comprising a haptic system and the technical factors that must be considered when selecting an actuator technology for a hand-held device.
Download the white paper (PDF)
Haptic technologies enable consumers to perceive touch sensations when using electronic devices. The touch sensation, created by an actuator embedded in the device, makes a virtual experience seem more physical and realistic.
Immersion Mental Model White Paper
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of mental models to the mobile user interface and the role that new technologies, such as high-definition haptics, can play to enhance a consumer’s mental model of a specific mobile application and their appreciation of it. The paper will illustrate ways designers can use HD haptics to influence mental models for mobile applications to make virtual activities more realistic and engaging for the user and to differentiate their products in the marketplace.
Download the white paper (PDF)
Applying High-Definition Haptics to Influence Mental Models for the Mobile User Interface
Haptic Technologies Consume Minimal Power in Smart Phones
Mobile application developers should not be concerned that haptic effects will impact a handset’s battery life. New research conducted by Immersion Corp. found that haptic technology power consumption is not significant in mobile devices, even when haptic effects are employed under very aggressive usage scenarios. Researchers assessed the impact on battery capacity for six popular applications that use a range of haptic technologies from Immersion Corp. as well as the generic Vibe technology included in Android devices. They also evaluated the power consumption of three smart phone applications used on an Android phone with and without haptics engaged; the haptics used in this second study were supplied by Immersion.
Download the white paper (PDF)
The purpose of this research was to provide a quantifiable answer to the question, “Will haptic effects impact the battery life of the device?”
Reverb - User Experience Value Investigation
With mobile video consumption experiencing explosive growth, and early research indicating potential user value in haptic enhanced mobile video, Immersion embarked on a comprehensive study to characterize and quantify the user experience value of enhancing mobile video applications that span the content ecosystem. Immersion specifically tested mobile video enhanced with its Reverb software, which automatically incorporate haptics into mobile video.
Download the white paper (PDF)
The purpose of the research was to characterize and quantify the value Reverb automated tactile effect brings to mobile video experience.