Haptics

Haptics covers any feedback you feel rather than see or hear. In VR it most often means small vibration motors in the controllers that pulse when you touch, grab or hit something. Good haptics can make a virtual button feel like it clicks, a bowstring feel taut, or a wall feel solid when your hand bumps into it.

Types of haptic feedback

• Controller vibration: nearly every VR controller has it. More advanced motors can play detailed patterns instead of a simple buzz.
• Adaptive triggers: the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers can change trigger resistance, for example to make a trigger feel stiff.
• Headset vibration: the PlayStation VR2 has a motor in the headset itself for effects like objects rushing past your head.
• Accessories: haptic vests and gloves add feedback to the body and fingers, mostly for enthusiasts and training.

Why it matters

Because you cannot actually touch virtual objects, haptics fills in a missing sense and helps your brain accept what it sees. It also gives useful confirmation, such as a tap when a menu item is selected. One weakness of hand tracking is that bare hands get no haptic feedback at all.