Five Different Types of Haptic Feedback

1.Introduction
2.Vibrotactile Feedback
3.Force Feedback
4.Electro-Tactile Feedback
5.Ultrasound Tactile Feedback
6.Thermal Tactile Feedback
7.Conclusion

Introduction
Haptic feedback is a technology that simulates the sense of touch through mechanical, electrical or other forms of feedback. It allows users to feel texture, vibrations and pressure as well as temperature changes while interacting with digital devices. If you want to know
more about haptic feedback definition, you can turn to this blog 《What is Haptic Feedback?》. 
Haptic feedback blur the boundary between the virtual and real world which helps to make user experiences more immersive and realistic. Today, it is popular in smartphones, wearable computing, automotive and above all in gaming and virtual reality (VR) application. 
Do you know how many types of haptic feedback? As there are several different principles employed to build up a sensation of touch. Haptic feedback has five primary types, are vibrotactile, force feedback, electro-tactile, ultrasound tactile and thermal tactile. Each type enhances interaction, realism and engagement of the user in its own way.

Vibrotactile Feedback
Vibrotactile feedback is the most common haptic feedback which is present in phones, game controllers and wearables. It operates by vibrating small motors. The resulting motion patterns allow users to experience a difference in intensity, rhythms that correspond to following actions or alerts.
In gaming, vibrotactile feedback is a great way to further immerse oneself in the game because players are now able to "feel" what happens within the game. For instance, when a player fires a weapon, drives over rough terrain or is hit, the controller vibrates to correspond with the action. Some famous game company take advanced actuators in the controller to feel textures and resistance. This allows players to tell the differences of walking on sand, ice or mud based on feeling alone. Studies show such feedback improves engagement and reaction time among players and makes the experience more realistic and degenerate in emotion.

Force Feedback
Force feedback is a haptic technology that provides the resistance or movement of force to emulate the real force. This technology can be found in steering wheels and setups used in simulation. The system has motors or mechanical linkages that applies force based on the actions of the user.
In games or virtual training, the force feedback provides the feeling of reality. Drivers feel the work of steering a car, shooters feel the recoil of guns and users feel the weight of handling virtual objects. With racing simulators, it is possible to feel the grip of the tire and the bumps of the race track, making driving more controlled and realistic. Force feedback can be applied in medical simulators for surgical training, trainees experience tissue or bone resistance, which when doing so build memory and accuracy before performing it in real life.

Electro-Tactile Feedback
Electro-tactile feedback works by applying tiny electrical currents to the skin to stimulate the nerve endings. Adjusting the voltage and the frequency presents the tingling, the tapping or the feeling of pressure-no really moving parts. This approach is energy-efficient and has space for flexible or wearable based devices.
In terms of gaming and VR electro-tactile systems are still in research but are looking for significant pay-off. Gloves or haptic feedback suit​ with sensors would also be able to allow users to feel the texture or impact of virtual objects. Combined with sight and sound, the level of realism in game play increases dramatically. Because each person has a different skin sensitivity, adjusting electro-tactile feedback so that it is both comfortable and safe is a major challenge.

Ultrasound Tactile Feedback
Ultrasound tactile feedback away from the skin is undertaken using focused ultrasonic waves, where the effect of the ultrasound on the skin is to produce a touch sensation. Arrays of ultrasonic transducers produce sound which interferes to create pressure points in the air. When these reach the skin, the users feel vibration or texture patterns.
This kind of haptic feedback is being used more and more for mid-air gesture control applications, such as automotive dashboard and public touchless interface. In gaming, it has allowed gamers to interact with holographic or virtual objects by "feeling" them in the air. For example, a gamer might feel the shape or recoil of a virtual weapon, even without the need for gloves or a controller and thereby introduce a new level of interaction.

Thermal Tactile Feedback
Thermal feedback that is thermal creates a sensation of heat or cold on the skin. It represents the use of thermoelectric materials or heat pumps that are able to change the temperature immediately. Though not as common as vibration or force feedback, it contributes to the creation of realistic touch experiences, which is very important.
In video games, thermal feedback can be used to simulate the effects of environmental inputs used within a game, such as the warmth of a fire or the chill of an icy wind. When combined with other types of haptics, it increases the realism and emotional involvement. Apart from entertainment, the technical applications of thermal feedback are also in conditions that require virtual training and rehabilitation in which the sense of real feeling of temperature contributes to the therapy of senses.

Conclusion
Haptic feedback technology continues to evolve and make digital interactions feel more like real sensations. This varies from simple mobile vibrations to complex force and ultrasound signals in immersive VR. Haptic feedback plays a very important role in creating a realistic and emotionally response game in gaming. Players are now feeling instead of just seeing or hearing the game.
Future gaming systems may combine several haptic methods which would provide complete immersion. Electro-tactile gloves, Ultra-Sound haptics and temperature sensitive suits could make virtual worlds more real. The goal is not to create realism, but haptic feedback also builds the connection between people and digital tech.

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