Rediscover the Sense of Touch

Touchscreens are penetrating every aspect of our lives. This goes well beyond the emergence of touch-enabled smartphones. The control panels and navigation systems in cars are increasingly accessed through Touch. Household appliances like washers and dryers, refrigerators, sewing machines, and coffee makers are emerging with a Touch interface. Desktop phones are adding internet browsing capability with Touch control. Kiosks in hotel lobbies, portable game players, remote controls for TV, video poker machines, and host of other products are Touch enabled.

But Touchscreens have lost the sense of Touch; you feel nothing but a smooth piece of glass. Customers from a diverse array of applications are engaged with AMI to rediscover the sense of Touch. A touchscreen can be made to deliver a range of tactile sensations from the simple click of a button to scrolling or slider control feedback to a fully interactive or immersive gaming experience. Reflex is a high fidelity haptics platform that scales, adapts, and delivers "real feel" performance that satisfies the requirements of any application.



Personal Electronics

Personal electronics designers have a difficult job. The market for devices such as smartphones, music players, personal game players, internet devices, cameras, and navigation systems, is growing rapidly. But it is increasingly difficult to distinguish one brand from another. The user interface is the core of the experience; this is where companies seek to stand out in the crowd.

Adding haptics to these devices is not trivial; there is no space, battery power is precious, and the market is extremely cost conscious. Reflex is the ideal solution. It combines the "real feel" of high fidelity haptics with the versatility, power density, power efficiency, impact tolerance, and cost advantages of EPAM.


AMI understands the product challenges and is working with several device makers to design products. Our application engineers have researched the design details necessary to produce the most compelling touch sensations in a robust and cost effective package.

Computers

The personal computer introduces many needs and opportunities for haptics. The touchscreens in tablet PCs and printers are obvious examples where the user experience and effectiveness would benefit from tactile feedback. However, haptics can provide significant differentiation for other aspects of the User interface including peripherals such as mice, keyboards, touchpads, and gaming controllers.

The Reflex ID25 is a self-contained module that is easily integrated into peripheral devices. The high fidelity haptics deliver even the most subtle effects. A pistol feels like a pistol, not just a rumble. The impact from a crash is distinct and separate from the subsequent explosion. Unlike vibrating motors which overwhelm every event with an overpowering one dimensional shudder, Reflex actuators weave together the subtleties of the sights, sounds, and feel of the application.


Entertainment

Console gaming and casual gaming are rapidly growing and changing markets. Today’s hot game or platform will become obsolete without a steady roadmap of enhancements and updates. New capabilities are in demand. The vibrating motor “rumble pack” common to hand held controllers are only able to deliver simple, one dimensional effects of a single frequency. The time lag felt as the motor spins up or down dissociates the feel from the event. Reflex delivers real-time effects with true high fidelity feel. You feel the dice rolling around inside the cup in your hand; you can tell when the ball hits the wall or falls into the holes of the labyrinth.

A night at the casino can be full of fun and excitement. The lights… the noise… the action! Video poker and slots machines have lost a key sensory input as touchscreens have become the primary mode of user input. The addition of Reflex to touchscreens and buttons adds a new dimension to the experience.

The remote control is the central user interface for home entertainment. Reflex may not help find the remote when it is time to change channels, but it simplifies the navigation of complex menus and screens necessary for a fully integrated entertainment center. Remote controls will continue to become more complex with web navigation, lighting, and security system features. The need for Reflex is growing.

Commercial

The microprocessor has expanded the functionality of electronics. Touch screens are now included in all types of machines and devices to simplify product designs and reduce costs. Point-of-sale kiosks, ATM machines, gas pumps, industrial controls and medical devices are all part of this trend. They all share the need for user comfort and improved data entry. People have a strong need for tactile feedback. Rediscover the sense of Touch with Reflex.

Special Needs

The blind are seriously challenged in the use of electronic devices. Navigating an array of buttons on a cell phone was challenging. The proliferation of touchscreens has made use almost impossible. The integration of Reflex high fidelity haptics opens a new channel of communication through the sense of Touch.

Non-Haptic Markets

EPAM transducers have many uses. In addition to converting electrical energy into mechanical work, the reverse is also true. An external force applied to a transducer can be converted into electrical power. The technology has great promise as a capacitive sensor and power generator.

The same attributes that make Reflex a great haptic actuator bring value to many other applications. The scalability, accuracy and repeatability are ideal for high precision positioners such as cell phone camera modules. These attributes and the low heat and sound generation have benefits for pumps and valves in medical and industrial applications. The high power density reduces the size and weight of conventional electromagnetic solutions bringing benefits to automotive and industrial automation opportunities.

AMI has ongoing efforts internally and through partnerships to develop products in these important fields.