Imagine feeling the patter of rain on your character in a video game, or the tension of pulling back a bow and arrow. This is the magic of haptics, a technology that lets you feel what’s happening on screen, and Sony is leading the way. Haptics adds the sense of touch to the sights and sounds of the digital world, creating a much more real experience.
For many, the first taste of advanced haptics is through the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller. Instead of a simple rumble, this controller uses special vibrations to make you feel everything. You can sense the gritty feeling of driving a car through mud or the kick of a weapon in your hands. It also has “adaptive triggers” on its L2 and R2 buttons, which can change their resistance. This means you can feel the tension build as you draw a bow, making the game feel incredibly real.
But Sony isn’t stopping with just controllers. They are working on exciting new ways to bring touch into our digital lives. One project is a “Haptic Vest.” This vest can make you feel bigger sensations, like the shockwave from an explosion in a game or the feeling of water pouring on you. Even with just a few vibrating parts, it can trick your body into feeling like the sensation is moving across you.
Sony is also exploring how to bring haptics to different objects and surfaces. They have created a “Haptic Ball” that can feel like it’s made of plastic, metal, or rubber as you tilt a tablet. They are even working on a “Haptic Floor” that can make you feel like you’re walking on different surfaces, like a sandy beach or through a pool of water, just by changing the vibrations you feel through your feet.
From making games more exciting to exploring new ways for us to interact with technology, Sony’s work in haptics is all about making the digital world feel more like the real one. It’s a technology that goes beyond just seeing and hearing, allowing us to truly feel the experience.