Haptic feedback is a sensory stimulation technology that provides a touching sensation. This sensation includes vibration and motion that can be experienced using haptic suits, headsets, gloves, etc. The concept of touching sensation is nothing new. The vibration of your cell phone when you get any notification is also a type of haptic feedback. But the inclusion of this technology with virtual reality is a matter of discussion.
The virtuality of VR, when combined with the real sensation of haptic feedback, the output is undoubtedly miraculous. It adds a natural touch to the virtual world. Using these combinations, the user experience in all industries, including entertainment, military, and health care, can benefit. And so today, we have brought you the role of haptic feedback in virtual reality, which will soon be a revolutionary combination in the coming days. So, without any further delay, let’s start our discussion-
What Is Haptic Feedback?
Haptic feedback is a game-changing technology that can simulate the sensation of touch. This provides motion and vibration and applies forces that allow the user to get a real-life-like experience. And these characteristics of haptic feedback make them popular to take virtual reality to the next level. It can create and control touching sensations in a computer simulation and thus enhances the remote control of machines and devices.
To make the concept more clear, let’s go for an example. Have you ever noticed the vibration when receiving an SMS on your mobile phone? Or if you are a gamer, you have faced the controller’s vibration while gaming. All this sensation is an example of haptic feedback.
Haptic feedback is now a widely used technology. It is not only limited to the mobile phone or gaming world but also to medical, military, educational, business, and many other fields. The demand for this technology is expanding. Besides, in virtual reality, haptic feedback is one of the must-have components that bring a reality touch to the virtual environment.
How Does Haptic Feedback Work In Virtual Reality?
Haptic feedback uses a group of technologies to bring a touching sensation. It is managed by vibrations that simulate in-game actions at predetermined frequencies and intervals. These senses consist of “bumps,” “knocks,” and “taps” made with the hand or fingers.
Most gadgets that provide haptic feedback rely on vibrations. However, most electronics employ an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) actuator, consisting of a wobbly weight fastened to a motor shaft. The actuator and the attached device shake as the shaft rotates due to the spinning of this erratic mass. And this rotation creates vibration, the sense of touch.
A range of wearables and haptic technology, such as haptic gloves, contain skin indentation devices. In order to simulate the sense of touching or manipulating an object, these systems squeeze the skin. In VR haptic devices, vibrotactile technology is frequently utilized. Here, piezoelectric actuators and linear resonant actuators are used in haptic devices to produce rumbling, shaking, and vibrating patterns.
For instance, the VR controller shakes following this mechanism when you are playing a game. So, this shaking creates a motion sensor in your hand. And thus, haptic feedback works in virtual reality to give the user a more natural experience adding sensation to artificial visuality.
Types Of Haptic Feedback Used In Virtual Reality
There are different types of haptic feedback technologies. But not all are applican;le in virtual reality applications. So, here are the three most common haptic feedback for VR:
- Vibrotactile Haptics
Vibrotactile haptics is the most widely used haptic feedback technology in the VR industry. The impressive, intriguing aspect of vibrotactile feedback is that it aims to transmit sound through vibrations. The rumbling of your VR controller or sense of vibration falls under this technology.
Devices that use vibrotactile feedback frequently rely on motors to complete the task. For example, the Xbox controller used in VR games also has a motor on either side of the device. This motor spins in response to an internal trigger. And the controller experiences good vibration due to the weight’s uneven distribution. And that signals to players that there is cause for excitement.
- Ultrasonic Mid-Air Haptics
Ultrasonic mid-air haptics is the latest technology that brings revolutionary changes in VR applications. Without touching the user’s body directly, mid-air haptic technology creates tactile sensations on the user’s skin. Ultrasonic phased arrays have a role in the scientific basis of this phenomenon. These arrays deflect the skin while concentrating sound in space to produce a haptic feeling. Thus, ultrasonic waves create a sense of force on the user’s hands.
- Surface Haptics
Surface haptics is another typical haptic feedback mechanism used in VR. In this haptic technology, a tactile effect is triggered by interactive touch on a real-world surface. Dynamic friction is the crucial component of this concept. In this instance, interactive communication often necessitates the use of human fingertips.
A virtual environment in and of itself can be created using passive touch surfaces. And here, the best physical surfaces for using surface haptics are touchscreens. However, surface haptics may not be any more intriguing than a simple vibration at first, but there are countless options. But what if you could feel the fabric of the clothing while shopping online? Won’t it be fantastic? Surface haptic can bring this sensation into the VR world.
Haptic Feedback Elements For Virtual Reality
To create a touching sensation or to add haptic elements to virtual reality, the following components are used-
- VR Haptic Gloves: The haptic sensors and motors built into the gloves give users a genuine sense of touch when used in a virtual reality environment. This allows consumers to engage and feel realistically through sophisticated tactile feedback.
- VR Haptic Suit: The VR haptic suit is officially known as OWO Skin which uses vibration, touch, and physical contact. These suits can produce slight vibrations, such as those felt in the foot while walking or when being shot in a first-person shooter VR game.
- Ultrasonic Speakers: VR and ultrasonics can revolutionize users’ interactions with a virtual environment. It improves the VR experience by appealing to the sense of touch and simulating a physical presence, producing a realistic and immersive experience. Thus, combining the haptic and visual senses opens new possibilities for VR use and training across numerous industries.
- Haptic Headphones: Headphones with senses uplifts your VR gaming experience to the next level. Sony, Corsair, Razer, and other renowned brands have this category of headphones.
Role Of Haptic Feedback in Virtual Reality
The addition of haptic feedback brought a new dimension in virtual reality. Using haptic feedback users can now get a more realistic experience. And this combination is playing a great contribution in different sectors. These are as follows-
- Role In Medical Sector
In medical science, virtual reality is extensively used for practicing operations, taking live classes, and more. And adding haptic feedback to VR, these applications can be made more realistic. For instance, you can feel the hardness or softness of the tissue via haptics in VR medical practices. Thus, it can create lifelike simulations for doctors and improve surgery skills.
- Defence Sector
The trainers must undergo heavy exercises in the military sector tio face risky situations. Training at this phase is also very expensive. To cut down this expense and for a better experience, VR is nowadays extensively used in the military. And to enhance this training experience, haptic feedback gloves, suits, and headphones can play an extensive role. For example, the trainers can face real life like shooting experience, the motion, the gunshots, and the thrilling sensations. And thus, by combining haptic feedback with virtual reality, a trainee can be fully prepared to face real-life missions or battlefields.
- Gaming World
Haptic feedback is most popular in the VR gaming industry. Here you can feel the thrill of gaming by adding haptic feedback technology. The haptic gloves’ vibration will give you a sense of action in gaming. Adding the haptic suit, you can act with your body position while playing games. They also provide foot sensation that lets you react to body postures.
- Training Purpose
The usage of VR in employee training is increasing gradually. And adding a haptic headset, you can experience actual scenarios of the work field seating at home. Putting a worker in another person’s shoes, whether a customer or a coworker, provides a special experience that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. This will become a helpful tool in all business training as technology advances, even in scenarios requiring difficult choices.
- Real Estate Industry
Beyond 3D models, developers can experience living inside their brand-new development using haptic feedback. VR could be used in residential and commercial settings, but the actual sensation of surroundings, like the walls and the textures, is possible through haptic feedback. Additionally, co-working spaces can use this technology to place a potential renter inside the facility before they sign the contract. This will not require a physical inspection of the property before purchasing. People from any corner of the world can examine the property with ease.
- Retail Sector
Retailers can assist prospective customers in placing themselves in scenarios to “try on” garments or other items and get a sense of how they interact with a space. For instance, a bride-to-be could try on a bridal gown and set it up like a real wedding setting. She can touch her gown and jewelry with haptic feedback and get real-life experience. Again, if you go to an automobile shop, you can try the car, feel the steering and seat fabrics, and decide to purchase.
- Entertainment
Adding haptic feedback to movies, video games, and music has revolutionized the entertainment industry. You can experience reality through the virtual world by adding this technology. In the near future, the use of haptic feedback will be extensive in the entertainment sector for sure.
- Architecture
With virtual reality, the designing of architectural works has become much easier. You can showcase your client’s architecture, giving them a real-life experience. For instance, to project a design of a seaside hotel, you can use haptic headphones to make your client feel near the sea and enjoy the view from the hotel.
- Educational Purpose
The difficult lectures of science and history can be made interesting by adding virtual reality. This technology is vastly used in the educational field. And including haptic feedback in education can take this learning game to the next level. Here students can feel the sense of motion while learning about force, velocity, and acceleration in physics. Or can experience the thrilling environment of the field while learning about the thousand years of wars of history.
- Physical Rehabilitation to Online Shopping
The major drawback of online shopping is the need for more touch. Here you can watch the picture to purchase a product. Using VR allows you to provide a virtual shopping mall experience where you can see the three-dimensional appearance of the product. But suppose you are at a cloth store and can feel the fabric seating at home. Won’t it be amazing? This is possible by adding haptic feedback to your VR shopping. You can touch the product and get the actual sensation to judge the product’s quality.
Benefit Of Haptic Feedback in Virtual Reality
Haptic feedback has added a new dimension to virtual reality. The benefits of this technology in VR applications are as follows-
- Naturalizes Virtual Interaction
Adding haptic feedback creates an extensive layer of realism in the virtual world. This technology allows you to get the sense of touch, motion, and vibration, along with visualization. Thus, it naturalizes virtual interaction with real-life sensations.
- Eases the Learning Curve for VR
When operating any virtual application, it takes time to learn the skill. For example, while playing any VR game, you won’t be able to adjust your body posture, hand movement, or controlling system. But with a haptic feedback suit, you can learn these curves quickly. The vibration and the sense alert you to action. Thus, the operation and ap[plication become more flexible.
- Increases Interaction Accuracy
You can enrich the interaction to a great level by adding a touching sensation to visualization. For instance, while purchasing any product, you can feel the texture twice the product and thus be assured of the quality.
- Enhances User Experience
Users can have real-life experiences with haptic feedback. In the medical, military, entertainment, or video gaming industry, the output of this technology can bring revolutionary changes. And thus, the dependency on digital platforms is going to be explored in the near future.
The Bottom Line
Haptic feedback is the future-changing technology for virtual reality. Undoubtedly, this is going to move the digital experience and the application of electronics in the coming days. The dependency on physical presence and examination will reduce to a great extent with the implementation of this technology. Even the business can grow extensively, adding haptic feedback to virtual reality. So, hold your breath and get ready to see the miraculous changes this technology is bringing to the VR experience.