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Month: January 2022

How Haptic Feedback Works

What is Haptic Feedback?

Haptic feedback (also known as tactile feedback) is what happens when high vibration patterns and waves are used to transmit information to a user or operator of an electronic device. “Tactile” means “to touch,” which is appropriate here, considering many electronics and other products today are designed to relay information to their users via touch. Phones and tablets with touchscreens are both excellent examples of products that use tactile feedback. Devices that use vibrations, such as putting a phone on the “vibrate” setting are another example.

haptic feedback

How Does it Work?

Devices that use haptic feedback employ some kind of vibrating component, such as a vibration motor or linear resonant actuator. This vibrating component is operated by an electronic circuit. Controllers usually get to decide when the device will vibrate, what pattern of vibration it will use, and more, to customize the experience.

History of Haptic Feedback

In the past, audio feedback in the form of bells, bees, and alarms was more common. Tactile feedback is a more modern approach to the same basic principle.

Tactile feedback became popular a couple of decades ago when it was realized that audio feedback could be improved upon by replacing it with devices that relied on the sense of touch.

As tactile feedback was tested at the top electronics companies, it was discovered that it improves the user experience by a vast amount. Thus, many everyday products are now being built with touch interfaces and displays.

Benefits of Haptic Feedback

Not only are haptic feedback devices more accurate, but they are also more accessible to a greater number of people, as even those with hearing issues can easily and accurately use them.

They are also highly desired by users because they can be customized to individual preferences, which is a huge improvement on the old way of doing things. Also, tactile feedback devices benefit companies by being cheaper to produce than audio feedback ones. With tactile feedback, both customers and companies benefit.

Using tactile feedback also improves the performance of those using the devices that include it. With tactile feedback, information transmitted to the user is done so in a way that allows the user to give more concentration to their task. In fact, medical devices that use tactile feedback have been shown to help patients avoid missing their doses of medication.

Another example of improved accuracy is on virtual keyboards that allow typing on a touch screen. A short “button press” vibration effect lets a user know a computer, phone, or tablet has recognized a keystroke and feels different under the fingertips from a “long press” effect. This subtle difference in sensations while typing allows the user to type with more accuracy, eases frustration in typing, and feels more like typing on a real keyboard or typewriter.

Examples of Devices That Use Feedback

A good example of improved accuracy and better user experience with tactile feedback is with a car’s parking sensor. Older models would have the steering wheel vibrate if the car comes within a certain number of feet or centimeters of an object.

Tactile feedback improves upon this by transmitting a variety of information to the driver about their environment by using different vibrational strengths and frequencies over a range of distances. The high, squeaky beeping found on older models is eliminated, and drivers can use the parking sensor accurately even in loud environments or if they have hearing issues.

Most people are familiar with tactile feedback through the use of their smartphones. Yet, a smartphone is just the tip of the surface of the real-world applications of tactile feedback. Imagine how easy it is to confuse different sounds, or miss them altogether.

This is an issue with the old model audio feedback electronics. With tactile feedback, the different vibrations, strengths, patterns, and feelings they give under the fingers or hands are easily accessible by everyone, and difficult to misinterpret.

Our fingers can remember the tiniest details of subtle vibrational changes and immediately signal to us what they mean because the fingertips are one of the most sensitive areas on a human being. It is like learning a new language, but much simpler, and with virtually no risk of error after a couple of lessons.

Tactile feedback is the future of electronics. Its applications are almost endless, and it is poised to improve life at both work and home, and even at school, for everyone.

Design a User-Friendly Membrane Switch With Hallmark Nameplate

Want to implement haptic feedback on your electronic devices? At Hallmark Nameplate we can help you design the perfect membrane switch for your device. Our team of designers have experience in a number of different industries and understands your machines’ unique needs.

Request a FREE quote today!

How Computer Circuit Boards Work

A printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly, could be just the thing you need for your business. But in order to really understand the purpose of a printed computer circuit board and how a computer circuit board works, you have to understand the very basic technology behind the product.

The Circuit Basics

Electric circuits are made up of wires and other components, such as light bulbs, transistors, computer chips, and motors. Conductive materials are what make up the wires that connect the components of the circuits. Copper and aluminum are most frequently used as conductors, but gold is sometimes used to attach wires to small electronic chips as well because it has a higher resistance to corrosion.

computer circuit board

Different Types of Circuits

Power circuits work with transferring and controlling large amounts of electricity. Examples of power circuits are power lines, and residential or business wiring systems. The major components of power circuits are generators at one end and lighting systems, heating systems, or household appliances at the other end. Power lines, transformers, and circuit breakers are in between the two. Electronic circuits, on the other hand, are responsible for processing and transmitting the information. These are more along the lines of computers, radios, TVs, radars, and cell phones.

Here are some other components of circuits:

  • If you’re working with a closed circuit, you’re working with a complete path for current to flow.
  • An open circuit doesn’t have this, which is an indicator that it is not functional.
  • A short circuit is a path of low resistance and can occur when two bare wires in a circuit touch each other.
  • In a series circuit, the same current flows through every component—think of a string of Christmas lights! If one goes out, they all go out; no current will flow, and none of the lights will go on.
  • When you think of a parallel circuit, think of blood vessels that branch off from an artery and connect to a vein. It’s the same idea with wires; one acting as the “artery” and one acting as the “vein” with smaller wires attached. The smallest wires have the same voltage applied, but different amounts of current flowing through them, depending on the individual wiring.

Circuit Classifications

One way that circuits are classified is in regards to the current flow. Some of the earliest ones to ever exist were powered by a battery, allowing for a current to flow steadily in one direction. Considered a direct current, or DC.

To accommodate the need for power to travel over long distances, the alternating current, or AC, was invented by engineer Nikola Tesla. AC currents are always changing and reverse directions all the time. With this type of current, it is possible to use transformers to change the level of voltage, which is necessary for electronic circuits.

What does this have to do with printed computer circuit boards?

The purpose of a printed circuit board is to hold an electronic circuit together. When all the different components are attached to it, it is called a printed computer circuit board assembly, or PCBA. A PCB with multiple layers can contain as many as ten stacked PCBs. This allows for the formation of a three-dimensional electronic circuit.

Components of A Circuit Board

Components soldered onto the PCB are essential for conducting electricity on the boards.

Some of the components included on a computer circuit board includes:

  • Transistors are the most important part of an electronic circuit and can be described as tiny switches that are triggered by electric signals. They are the basic building blocks of microchips. Working alongside these are more passive elements like resistors and capacitors.
  • Resistors apply a specific amount of resistance to the current. They transmit the electric current to produce voltage.
  • Capacitor stores electric charge in the board and releases it when power is needed.
  • Inductors store energy as a magnetic field and block interference signals in the board. Small circuits, commonly labeled “micro-electric,” don’t use inductors very often.
  • Diodes control the flow of electricity making it only flow in one direction to avoid causing damage.

The most advanced designers of computer circuit boards use computer-aided design programs or CAD. These are the most realistic way to design circuit boards because of the complexity of digital computers- as they use millions of transistors.

One of the best ways to understand the products we create for your every need is to study the basic components. The world of circuits and circuit boards is vast and there is always something new to learn. Whether it’s an advancement or yet another element of your printed computer circuit board project.

Types of PCBs

There are several different types of PCBs you can choose from depending on your planned usage.

These consist of:

  • Single-sided PCBs – Most commonly used type of PCB used with almost any electronic circuitry
  • Double-sided PCBs – The components are on both sides of the PCB, used for more complex circuitry, and is slightly more expensive
  • Multi-Layer PCBs – Combines two double-sided circuits, used in most electronic devices
  • Rigid PCBs – Made out of thermoplastic material, the most durable, and often used in military technology
  • Flex Circuits – Uses flexible material in smaller assemblies for simple electronics
  • Rigid-Flex PCBs – A combination of both the rigid and flex PCBs, providing both flexibility and durability
  • High-Frequency PCBs – Used for circuits that have fast microprocessors for high productivity computers
  • Aluminum PCBs – Uses an aluminum backing to add more strength when there is a lot of electromagnetic energy

A computer circuit board specialist can help you determine which type is right for you depending on the application of your PCB.

Design and Manufacture Your PCB With Hallmark Nameplate

You can learn more about our PCB (Printed Circuit Board) Assembly Services by visiting our website. Our team will help walk you through the electronic assembly process and answer all your questions.

Find the perfect solutions for your needs, request a FREE quote today!