The Beginning of a New Era for Haptics

Commercial development in haptics has moved in waves. In 2015, Apple launched their Taptic Engine, driving a significant shift from the incumbent .. Read more vibration motors towards linear actuators throughout the market. This new interest in haptics drove new investment in R&D, both from already active participants in the market, and new startups formed around that time. However, with the lack of a prominent technology launch of that scale since then, the approach quickly changed from new innovative launches back to cost reduction, leading to a renewed squeeze on the supply chain. However, the launch of the PlayStation 5 and DualSense controller from Sony in 2020 is arguably the most significant launch since the Taptic Engine. It represents a significant new opportunity for technology players as users and developers alike come to experience and expect more new advanced haptic effects. As such, it is a perfect time to review the technology landscape for haptics, as covered in the IDTechEx report, "Haptics 2021-2031: Technologies, Market & Players".