Alps Alpine has revealed more about its high-power haptic vibrator, following Dialog Semi’s announcment of the driver chip inside it yesterday.

Alps-Alpine-Haptic-Heavy

Haptic Reactor Heavy Type is intended for touch feedback, primarily in automotive applications.

“There is currently growing demand for vibrational feedback, which allows more intuitive control and does not require any shift of gaze,” according to the company.

Heavy Type produces an excitation force of 15G (at 100g) – 5x that of existing AlpsAlpine products – and is primarily for installation behind the front panel of car navigation and HVAC systems. “Earlier vibration devices have had many issues, including the need for bigger dimensions and a booster circuit to generate the power required to cause an object of 600g – 1kg, such as a display, to vibrate”, said Alps Alpine.

Alps-Alpine-Haptic-Heavy-graphsA different internal structure is used to the company’s existing Hybrid Tough Type “and only one resonance point” it said. 15G excitation force is achieved at 130Hz from the 33 x 23 x 13mm [25g typ] device “while retaining the typical haptic characteristics of horizontal resonance, which is easier to perceive with fingertips”.

Operation is from 7V (20 sine waves) without a booster circuit, resistance between terminals is 10.2Ω ±10% at 20°C and estimated operating life is a rather precise 109,500 cycles.

Alps-Alpine-Haptic-Heavy-applicationAs well as the Dialog chip, it will work with ICs from Cirrus Logic and Dongwoon Anatech.

Sample shipments start this month and mass production expected in January 2021

In addition to behind displays, Alps sees it being used in steering wheels, door trims and seat trims.