Designing with Haptic Feedback

Abstract: Most interactions with physical objects are based on three senses: Sight, hearing and touch. Although we highly rely on visual communication nowadays, haptic feedback is not only involved in every single interaction, but plays a significant role in how we perceive our surroundings. One major reason why there are only few applications available incorporating active haptic technology is the complex design process, which requires a profound understanding of electronics, coding, physiology and psychology. Unfortunately there is currently little support and guidance available to get you started and help you during the process. In this thesis I explored the opportunities of haptic feedback and how we can ease access to the field for designers. The outcome is called hapticlabs.io and consists of two parts: A prototyping kit which allows you to design, evaluate, and integrate haptic feedback without requiring any expertise in coding or electronics. A knowledge base which provides condensed and easy to understand background information, opportunity areas showcasing capabilities, as well as a collection of design principles guiding you through the process. Hapticlabs.io provides an ecosystem to democratise haptic design. It simplifies the process of modulating the feedback, creating functional prototypes and taking full potential of the capabilities.