Articles
Longer essays on haptic hardware and tactile interface design, newest first. Each one argues a position about where touch feedback is heading, while the guides in Technology and Applications hold the reference material those arguments build on.
April 15, 2026
The Evolution of Haptic Feedback
Haptic feedback has been part of consumer electronics since pagers in the 1990s, yet most devices still rely on vibration motors that collapse every signal into one undifferentiated buzz. The shift to nonlinear tap-based actuation changes how wearables can communicate through touch.
March 25, 2026
Nonlinear Actuators and the Wearable UI Revolution
Most wristbands and smartwatches communicate through a small vibrating motor, because consumer actuators haven't offered much more. Nonlinear mechanisms that produce clean taps open a design space where tactile language becomes practical.
March 4, 2026
Designing a Tactile Language for Non-Visual Communication
Braille and tactile signing show that touch can carry language. Delivering a practical tactile language through a device worn all day takes hardware that produces clean, repeatable taps and a design method that connects perception science to interaction engineering.