---
id: phone-haptics
status: active
supersededBy: []
lang: en
title: Phone haptics
description: >-
  Phone vibration and tactile feedback: actions, options, applications and
  limitations. Complete list from the discussion, with search and sources.
intro: >-
  Author's systematization: 160 cards in 16 groups. These are mechanics,
  feedback techniques, applications and experimental extensions, not 160
  independent physical effects. Design examples are hypothetical, not statements
  about the released games that used them.
updatedAt: '2026-10-20'
sources:
  - title: 'Apple: Playing haptics'
    url: >-
      https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/playing-haptics
    description: >-
      Semantics of system patterns, short and continuous events, intensity,
      sharpness, shutdown and influence on other components.
  - title: 'Apple: Core Haptics'
    url: 'https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corehaptics'
    description: >-
      Create your own events, dynamic patterns and sync with audio on supported
      devices.
  - title: 'Apple: Real-time parameters'
    url: >-
      https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corehaptics/updating-continuous-and-transient-haptic-parameters-in-real-time
    description: Changing parameters by gesture and controlling pattern playback.
  - title: 'Apple: CHHapticEngine.StoppedReason'
    url: >-
      https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corehaptics/chhapticengine/stoppedreason
    description: >-
      Interrupts, application suspension and other reasons for stopping the
      engine.
  - title: 'Android: Event Feedback'
    url: 'https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/haptic-feedback'
    description: >-
      System semantics of clicking, confirming and refusing; Recommended methods
      for calling and setting up a user.
  - title: 'Android: haptics API capabilities'
    url: 'https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/haptics-apis'
    description: >-
      Device differences, checking amplitude control and supported effects,
      background scenario requirements.
  - title: 'Android: native effects'
    url: >-
      https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/custom-haptic-effects
    description: >-
      Compositions and envelopes; advanced forms require compatible hardware and
      APIs.
  - title: 'Android: haptic design principles'
    url: 'https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/haptics-principles'
    description: 'A clear connection between event and sensation, consistency and comfort.'
  - title: 'Android: motion sensors'
    url: >-
      https://developer.android.com/develop/sensors-and-location/sensors/sensors_motion
    description: 'Input sources for tilt, acceleration, shake and rotation.'
  - title: 'MDN: Navigator.vibrate()'
    url: 'https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Navigator/vibrate'
    description: >-
      Pulse and pause durations are available in the browser; Requires user
      activation, limited support.
  - title: 'MDN: Vibration API Compatibility Data'
    url: 'https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data/blob/main/api/Navigator.json'
    description: >-
      On the record vibrate: Safari does not support the API, and the presence
      of the function or true does not prove actual vibration.
  - title: 'Yoshida et al., 2023: Perception under load'
    url: 'https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.06556'
    description: >-
      The study shows the effects of walking and a cognitive task on signal
      detection; universal thresholds do not follow from here.
  - title: 'GripSense, UIST 2012'
    url: 'https://ubicomplab.cs.washington.edu/pdfs/gripsense.pdf'
    description: >-
      Study of indirect pressure assessment based on the device’s response to
      vibrations; the results refer to the described prototype.
  - title: 'VibePhone: Vibration-Based Surface Recognition, 2012'
    url: 'https://rllab.snu.ac.kr/publications/papers/2012_cpsna_vibephone.pdf'
    description: Study of surface recognition by vibration response.
  - title: 'VibeComm, Sensors 2014'
    url: 'https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/14/11/21151'
    description: >-
      Exploratory data transmission through vibrations of a common surface;
      limited speed and need for calibration.
  - title: 'Bristlebot: theoretical analysis, 2014'
    url: 'https://arxiv.org/abs/1410.8153'
    description: >-
      The mechanical principle of converting vibration into movement using a
      support; not proof of operation of a whole phone on a stand.
  - title: 'Localized haptics: PVDF actuators, 2023'
    url: 'https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/12/7/289'
    description: >-
      An exploratory multi-actuator design for spatially discriminative display
      feedback.
  - title: 'Disney Research: TeslaTouch, 2010'
    url: >-
      https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/teslatouch-electrovibration-for-touch-surfaces/
    description: >-
      Controlled electrostatic friction requires a special surface; This is a
      different principle than body vibration.
  - title: 'Microsoft Research: TouchMover, 2013'
    url: >-
      https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/touchmover-actuated-3d-touchscreen-with-haptic-feedback/
    description: >-
      Example of physical force feedback with robotic display; not a function of
      a regular phone.
counts:
  families: 16
  branches: 16
  variants: 160
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/'
markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/mechanics/en/phone-haptics.md'
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
provenance: >-
  Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
  2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
  preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
  classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
  editorial review.
---
# Phone haptics

Author's systematization: 160 cards in 16 groups. These are mechanics, feedback techniques, applications and experimental extensions, not 160 independent physical effects. Design examples are hypothetical, not statements about the released games that used them.

## Mechanics catalog

<a id="section-1"></a>

### 1. Buttons, gestures and interface

<a id="family-ui"></a>
id: family-ui
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-ui
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-ui

Haptic feedback makes events and boundaries discernible.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-ui-variants"></a>
- Tactile button. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: A short pulse confirms that the press has been accepted; releasing, if necessary, receives a separate response. Application: Virtual keys, game console, quick actions. Limitations: Confirm the actual acceptance of the command, and not promise the successful completion of the operation. <a id="variant-h001"></a>
- Hold until triggered. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: hold. Rule: A person holds the button until the ready signal and releases it after it; early release cancels the action. Application: Charge the ability, confirm, interact without looking at the screen. Limitations: The duration of the hold is known to the application; You don't need a force sensor for this. <a id="variant-h002"></a>
- Steps of choice. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Each intersection of a discrete value produces a click; the user counts steps with his finger. Application: Selecting an object, date, hour, volume level. Limitations: Do not play dozens of indistinguishable clicks when moving quickly. <a id="variant-h003"></a>
- Magnetic binding. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: An impulse occurs when an object hits a valid point, grid or alignment line. Application: Editors, construction, inventory placement. Limitations: Vibration indicates software binding; I can't physically hold my finger... <a id="variant-h004"></a>
- End of the range. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: swipe. Rule: A special response indicates a minimum or maximum value, the end of a list, or the edge of a map. Applications: Sliders, panning, scrolling. Limitations: Distinguish an edge from a normal value change. <a id="variant-h005"></a>
- Gesture threshold. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: swipe. Rule: The pulse indicates that the swipe has crossed the threshold; releasing performs the action, returning cancels. Usage: Card reset, gesture reload, archiving. Limitations: Leave the ability to cancel until releasing if this is part of the rule. <a id="variant-h006"></a>
- Grab and release. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Various short beeps indicate the capture of an object and its successful placement. Applications: Drag-and-drop, puzzles, building structures. Limitations: Incorrect placement receives a different response and a clear visual reason. <a id="variant-h007"></a>
- Success, error, warning. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: Three distinguishable patterns communicate the result or need to change an action. Application: Answering a quiz, saving, checking progress. Limitations: Use system values ​​consistently; Don’t encode everything with one vibration. <a id="variant-h008"></a>
- Tactile focus. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: When focus moves to an accessible element, an impulse is generated; the user then activates the found element. Application: One-handed navigation, assistive interface mode. Limitations: The name and purpose of the element is announced by Narrator or another channel. <a id="variant-h009"></a>
- Passing stages. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: Short beeps mark real completed stages, and the final pattern completes the sequence. Application: Loading multiple objects, character creation, step-by-step wizard. Limitations: Do not replace reliable progress with decorative periodic buzzing. <a id="variant-h010"></a>


### 2. Search, space and direction

<a id="family-space"></a>
id: family-space
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-space
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-space

Vibration communicates spatial relationships; the direction is read by the player or a separate sensor.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-space-variants"></a>
- Hot and cold. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: As the cursor approaches the target, the intervals between pulses become shorter; the player changes direction along a gradient. Application: Search for treasure, hidden button, leak. Limitations: You can encode distance by tempo without controlling the motor power. <a id="variant-h011"></a>
- Amplitude detector. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop. Rule: The player explores the area; The vibration strength increases near the source and helps select the next search point. Applications: Metal detecting, anomalies, resource gathering. Limitations: Requires discernible intensity control; provide an option with the pulse rate. <a id="variant-h012"></a>
- Aiming sector. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, sensors. Rule: The signal appears only when the virtual sight or the orientation of the phone falls into the desired sector. Application: Searching for a transmitter, pointing the antenna, AR quest. Limitations: Sensors are needed for real rotation; Vibration itself does not measure direction. <a id="variant-h013"></a>
- Radial scanner. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: The player rotates the beam; pulses at the angles of intersection with objects allow you to remember their location. Application: Radar, navigation in the dark, reconnaissance. Limitations: The angle is set by the position of the beam; one motor does not indicate a physical sector of the body. <a id="variant-h014"></a>
- Active sonar. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: After starting a scan, the delay until the response pulse conventionally encodes the distance; the player waits and matches the echo. Application: Underwater exploration, wall search, tactical reconnaissance. Limitations: This is game coding; it does not measure the room without a separate sensor system. <a id="variant-h015"></a>
- Following the contour. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: When you move your finger along an invisible line, marks appear; loss of line changes or stops the signal. Application: Stroke, labyrinth, circuit restoration. Limitations: Give a separate signal of loss of contact so that the pause does not look like a failure. <a id="variant-h016"></a>
- Crossing borders. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Entry into and exit from an area receive different patterns; the player maps zones using transitions. Application: Minefields in the game, biomes, invisible obstacles. Limitations: Requires distinguishable entry and exit patterns or clear context. <a id="variant-h017"></a>
- Correct course strip. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: sensors, touch. Rule: Within the acceptable deviation there is a rare confirmation signal; a heading error causes a different pattern. Applications: Route keeping, virtual antenna, orientation training. Limitations: A route in the real world requires geodata; This is not a reliable danger warning channel. <a id="variant-h018"></a>
- Coded turns. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: geodata. Rule: The agreed rhythm indicates a left or right turn, and a separate series reports the approach to the maneuver. Application: Pedestrian navigator, route within the game. Limitations: Left and right are encoded by rhythm, not vibration localization; Need a short training phase... <a id="variant-h019"></a>
- Label of a place or object. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: geodata, camera, NFC/BLE. Rule: Upon confirmed detection of an object or entry into a zone, the phone gives an identifying pattern. Application: Museum quest, collecting, geo-game. Limitations: Location is determined by GPS, camera, NFC or BLE; take into account their errors and delays. <a id="variant-h020"></a>


### 3. Timing, rhythm and reaction

<a id="family-timing"></a>
id: family-timing
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-timing
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-timing

The player acts in relation to the moment, duration or structure of the tactile signal.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-timing-variants"></a>
- Press on impulse. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: After an unpredictable pause, a signal arrives; the player presses as quickly as possible. Application: Reaction duel, quick response, attention training. Limitations: The delay of the entire device chain is measured; The results of different models are not equal to laboratory measurements. <a id="variant-h021"></a>
- Do not respond to a false signal. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: One rhythm requires pressing, another requires inaction; an unnecessary reaction is considered an error. Application: Go/no-go, command recognition, duel with a decoy. Limitations: Patterns must be reliably distinguishable on target phones. <a id="variant-h022"></a>
- Stop at the right moment. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: A series of pulses shows the progress of a conventional scale; the player stops it in the target window. Application: Opening, forging, critical hit. Limitations: Give a sufficient time window taking into account the delay of the actuator and perception. <a id="variant-h023"></a>
- Tactile metronome. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, sensors. Rule: Regular signals set the beat; the player synchronizes clicks or movements. Application: Rhythm game, drums, dance input. Limitations: The rate of repetition of impulses is not equal to the physical frequency of motor oscillations. <a id="variant-h024"></a>
- Keeping the pace in silence. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: After a few clock cycles the signals disappear; the player continues the rhythm and receives a deviation score. Application: Musical memory, internal metronome. Limitations: Skip is the rule, so the beginning and end of the silent part must be clear. <a id="variant-h025"></a>
- Hold duration. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: hold. Rule: Player senses a duration pattern, then plays it by holding a button. Applications: Interval comparison, valve control, puzzle. Limitations: On simple motors, short patterns may merge; choose convenient intervals. <a id="variant-h026"></a>
- Rhythmic echo. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The phone plays a sequence of short and long beeps; the player repeats it by pressing. Application: Simon, musical memory, opening the door. Limitations: Limit the length and give a repeat of the pattern upon request. <a id="variant-h027"></a>
- Countdown to the event. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: timer. Rule: The series becomes more frequent before the start; the final distinguishable impulse indicates zero. Application: Race, turn timer, preparation for a dash. Limitations: Do not mix the preparatory rhythm with the start signal itself. <a id="variant-h028"></a>
- Early action on a precursor. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The preparatory pattern predicts the strike; the player performs defense until the final impulse. Application: Parry, evasion, sports start. Limitations: The start of the signal must precede a dangerous event in a fair playing window. <a id="variant-h029"></a>
- Phase shift. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The player adjusts his own rhythm so as to fall between pulses or on a given beat. Application: Polyrhythm, bypassing lasers, synchronizing mechanisms. Limitations: Start with simple ratios; Dense sequences are difficult to read. <a id="variant-h030"></a>


### 4. Precision and feedback control

<a id="family-control"></a>
id: family-control
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-control
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-control

The signal reflects the state of the system, and the player continuously adjusts the input.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-control-variants"></a>
- Maintaining the optimum. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: hold, drag. Rule: The pattern changes when it leaves the acceptable range; the player returns the parameter to the working area. Application: Furnace temperature, pressure, accuracy of treatment in the game. Limitations: Two different signals or an additional scale are needed to direct the correction. <a id="variant-h031"></a>
- Line tension. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: hold, drag. Rule: As tension increases, vibration increases; the player loosens or tightens the line, avoiding a break. Application: Fishing, towing, rope. Limitations: Intensity can be replaced by rhythm steps; The phone does not create any physical tension. <a id="variant-h032"></a>
- Catch a bite. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Against the background of rare touches, a characteristic jerk appears; the player hooks only after the required signal. Application: Fishing, trapping, reaction to a rare event. Limitations: The bite pattern must differ from the background signals. <a id="variant-h033"></a>
- Balance of an unstable system. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop, sensors. Rule: Increased impulses indicate an approaching fall; the player compensates for the deviation. Application: Rope walker, carrying a load, virtual ball. Limitations: The risk signal does not itself indicate the direction of the deviation; it is coded separately. <a id="variant-h034"></a>
- Overheat control. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: hold. Rule: Vibration warns of heat accumulation; the player alternates working and cooling. Applications: Laser, drill, engine, repair mini-game. Limitations: Short warning bursts are usually more useful than a constant buzzing. <a id="variant-h035"></a>
- Cavitation or mode failure. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: An uneven pattern indicates erratic operation; changing the feed returns smooth sparse signals. Application: Pump, turbine, space engine. Limitations: This is a state model; Do not pass it off as a real equipment measurement. <a id="variant-h036"></a>
- Search for resonance. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop. Rule: The player changes the virtual frequency, and the maximum intensity indicates a match with the target. Application: Radio tuning, magic crystal, science puzzle. Limitations: The frequency of the virtual system does not have to match the frequency of the vibration motor. <a id="variant-h037"></a>
- Tactile sight fixation. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop, sensors. Rule: A short signal indicates the capture of the target, and another pattern indicates a loss; the player holds down the aim. Application: Shooting, in-game photography, scanning. Limitations: Do not substitute vibration for checking the actual accuracy of a camera or weapon. <a id="variant-h038"></a>
- Smooth tool guidance. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Pulses mark the permissible speed; too sharp or slow movement changes the feedback. Application: Cutting, polishing, seam in the simulator. Limitations: Touch trajectory is estimated; The actual resistance of the instrument is not reproduced. <a id="variant-h039"></a>
- Stop when signal disappears. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: hold. Rule: Vibration occurs during a dangerous process; its completion allows you to release the button or go to the next step. Application: Clearing mines in the game, gateway, completing a scan. Limitations: Add confirmation of the end so that the system vibration break does not look like a success. <a id="variant-h040"></a>


### 5. Combat, action and sports

<a id="family-combat"></a>
id: family-combat
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-combat
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-combat

Combat events can be sensed and precursors can be used to make decisions.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-combat-variants"></a>
- Own shot. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: touch. Rule: The short kick is synchronized with the shot; envelope and series distinguish between weapon types. Application: Shooter, shooting gallery, arcade combat. Limitations: Vibration simulates the feeling of an event and does not reproduce the directional recoil of a weapon. <a id="variant-h041"></a>
- Hitting the enemy. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: The impulse occurs only with a confirmed hit, and a critical hit has a different pattern. Application: Shooter, slasher, sports hit. Limitations: Separate this signal from your own shot and incoming damage. <a id="variant-h042"></a>
- Taking damage. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: A short episode announces a hit to a character; heavy damage is indicated separately. Application: Action, platformer, survival. Limitations: The strength of the feedback should not mask the following important signals. <a id="variant-h043"></a>
- Block and parry. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Harbinger denotes a window of defense, and the result differs in the pattern of a successful parry or a simple block. Application: Fencing, boss fight. Limitations: The response of the result complements the mechanics; the solution is provided by an early signal. <a id="variant-h044"></a>
- Evading an invisible attack. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: swipe. Rule: A distinguishable preparatory rhythm indicates the type of attack; the player selects the desired dodge. Application: Fight in the dark, available action mode. Limitations: You need a small learnable dictionary of attacks, and not dozens of similar codes. <a id="variant-h045"></a>
- Recharge and readiness. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Recharging stages are marked by pulses; precise action on the final signal gives a bonus. Application: Active cooldown, skill charge. Limitations: Normal readiness can be pure feedback without a mandatory reaction. <a id="variant-h046"></a>
- Tactile rhythm combo. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The pattern sets the next strike window; a sustained sequence prolongs the combo. Application: Hand-to-hand combat, musical action. Limitations: Match the rhythm with the animation and movement cancellation rules. <a id="variant-h047"></a>
- Contact, landing, collision. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: A short hit corresponds to the moment of contact and the relative severity of the collision. Application: Platformer, skateboard, physics arcade. Limitations: Many small contacts should be combined, otherwise they turn into a rumble. <a id="variant-h048"></a>
- Resource shortage. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: A rare characteristic signal indicates a critical supply of health, oxygen or stamina; the player changes tactics. Application: Survival, underwater combat, running. Limitations: Do not turn all the time of low health into continuous vibration. <a id="variant-h049"></a>
- A moment of sporting contact. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, sensors. Rule: The pre-signal helps to select the moment of the swing, and the contact impulse confirms the result. Application: Baseball, tennis, golf in the game. Limitations: The strength of the actual swing cannot be reliably obtained from the fact of vibration alone. <a id="variant-h050"></a>


### 6. Transport, machines and physical processes

<a id="family-simulation"></a>
id: family-simulation
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-simulation
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-simulation

The signal is associated with the state of the model, rather than adding arbitrary noise.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-simulation-variants"></a>
- Engine and speed. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: The envelope or pulse density changes with engine mode, helping to differentiate between idle and load. Applications: Racing, engineering, space sims. Limitations: Do not promise to control the physical frequency of the motor on all phones. <a id="variant-h051"></a>
- Changing gear. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The pattern reports a suitable switching window; a separate push confirms the gear change. Application: Drag racing, manual transmission in the game. Limitations: Warning and confirmation must be different. <a id="variant-h052"></a>
- Slip and clutch. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: hold, drag. Rule: An uneven series occurs when traction is lost; the player eases up the gas or changes the controls. Application: Rally, drift, ice driving. Limitations: Vibration reports the clutch pattern rather than turning the steering wheel. <a id="variant-h053"></a>
- Road and terrain. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: Rare impacts, frequent small tremors and soft pulsations indicate different surfaces. Application: Ground, paving stones, rails, snow in the game. Limitations: Surfaces differ in a conventional pattern, and not an exact mechanical copy of the material. <a id="variant-h054"></a>
- Braking on the verge. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: hold. Rule: Pulsations warn of blocking or exceeding a preset braking threshold; the player corrects the input. Application: Racing simulator, vehicle landing. Limitations: This is a game hint, not an imitation of a real ABS pedal. <a id="variant-h055"></a>
- Turbulence and waves. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: Short irregular bursts correspond to gusts or shocks of waves. Application: Flight, sea navigation, storm. Limitations: Background image should not obscure emergency warnings. <a id="variant-h056"></a>
- Tool duty cycle. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: hold. Rule: The start, working phase and stop of the tool have different envelopes. Application: Drill, saw, grinding in the simulator. Limitations: Limit the duration of continuous operation and provide for shutdown. <a id="variant-h057"></a>
- Mechanism jamming. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, drag. Rule: Rhythm becomes intermittent; the player changes the force in the model or performs a reverse move. Application: Repair, manufacturing, mechanical puzzles. Limitations: The phone reports a jam, but does not physically block the movement of the finger. <a id="variant-h058"></a>
- Free body strikes. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: When a virtual ball or weight collides with the wall of a container, the body responds with an impulse. Application: Ball in a box, cubes, inclined maze. Limitations: The position of the body is calculated by the simulation; The vibration motor does not move the object on the screen. <a id="variant-h059"></a>
- Flow and filling. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: tilt, sensors. Rule: The signal pattern reflects the pace of the virtual flow and the proximity to overflow; the player adjusts the tilt. Application: Pouring, dosing, alchemy. Limitations: Tilt sensors required; The volume of liquid is calculated here by the game. <a id="variant-h060"></a>


### 7. Materials, tools and virtual items

<a id="family-materials"></a>
id: family-materials
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-materials
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-materials

A tactile drawing creates an association with an object and can become part of a task.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-materials-variants"></a>
- Swipe over texture. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop. Rule: When you move your finger, the density and character of the impulses change, creating a conventional image of roughness. Application: Wood, stone, fabric, card surface. Limitations: A regular screen does not acquire physical relief or controlled friction. <a id="variant-h061"></a>
- Response material. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: touch. Rule: The player taps virtual samples and selects material according to the learned pattern. Application: Geology in the game, sorting, recognition of artifacts. Limitations: The meanings of the patterns are conditional; demonstration of samples and verification of distinctiveness is needed. <a id="variant-h062"></a>
- Crack and destruction. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: Several increasing clicks lead to the final blow when the object is destroyed. Application: Ice, glass, wood, opening the shell. Limitations: Do not use too loud and long effect for each small object. <a id="variant-h063"></a>
- Elastic object. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Tension is reflected by an increase, and release by a short decaying response. Applications: Elastic band, bow, spring, soft button. Limitations: This is a combination of visual movement and vibration; elastic force is not transferred to the finger. <a id="variant-h064"></a>
- Teeth and ratchet. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: Rotate on screen. Rule: Each tooth passed is marked with a click; reverse motion receives a different signal or is prohibited by the rules. Application: Winch, safe, manual adjustment. Limitations: The prohibition is a software, not a physical stop. <a id="variant-h065"></a>
- Cutting into portions. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: swipe. Rule: Impulse indicates the intersection of the desired line; the player measures the steps or the number of cuts. Application: Cooking, cutting, resource division. Limitations: Swipe speed and number of servings are calculated by taps. <a id="variant-h066"></a>
- Scraping off the layer. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop. Rule: The working pattern changes when the bottom layer is reached; the player stops so as not to damage the base. Application: Restoration, excavation, cleaning. Limitations: Damage and depth are virtual; do not imitate medical accuracy. <a id="variant-h067"></a>
- Stamp, seal, latch. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: A distinct impulse corresponds to the final fixation of an object. Application: Printing a document in a game, assembly, closing a container. Constraints: The commit event must actually occur in the model. <a id="variant-h068"></a>
- Tearing and unfastening. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop. Rule: A series of clicks follows the movement of the finger; the final pulse marks the complete break of the connection. Applications: Zipper, Velcro, perforation, packaging. Limitations: Distinguish between individual clicks and a continuous hum; no physical resistance... <a id="variant-h069"></a>
- Assembly for landing. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: The correct position of the part causes a short signal; the player looks for the orientation and fixes the connection. Application: Constructor, weapon assembly, repair. Limitations: A gesture is enough to orient the part; real rotation of the phone is not necessary. <a id="variant-h070"></a>


### 8. Puzzles, codes and training

<a id="family-puzzles"></a>
id: family-puzzles
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-puzzles
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-puzzles

The player distinguishes, remembers, reproduces or transforms tactile information.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-puzzles-variants"></a>
- Lock with tactile pins. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: When passing the desired position, a special click occurs; the player remembers the positions and sets the pins. Application: Hacking in a game, mechanical safe. Limitations: Make the sign of the correct position resistant to the speed of finger movement. <a id="variant-h071"></a>
- ABC of short and long. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The phone transmits symbols in a rhythm, and the player decodes or responds by pressing. Application: Morse, spy quest, coding training. Limitations: This is a sequential code, not a full-fledged speech replacement for all users. <a id="variant-h072"></a>
- Number of pulses. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The player counts short signals and uses the number as an answer or part of a combination. Application: Counting, PIN in a puzzle, room number. Limitations: Long numbers are best divided into groups; vibration is not a protected channel. <a id="variant-h073"></a>
- Find a matching pair. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Hidden cards reproduce patterns; the player opens identical pairs. Application: Memory, learning to discriminate, playing without visual comparison. Limitations: The pair is determined by rhythm, not by a barely noticeable difference in strength. <a id="variant-h074"></a>
- Extra pattern. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Several objects produce similar patterns, one is different; the player selects an exception. Application: Classification, attention, troubleshooting. Limitations: The difference must be meaningful and accessible after repeated tapping. <a id="variant-h075"></a>
- Order and rearrangement. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: The player sorts objects by length, number of pulses or a learned tactile sequence. Application: Logical chain, musical phrase, password assembly. Limitations: Do not require accurate ranking of similar intensities on different devices. <a id="variant-h076"></a>
- A combination of several signs. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: touch. Rule: One attribute specifies a class, another option; the player combines rhythm and duration or intensity. Application: Tactile keys, device classification, complex code. Limitations: First check each sign separately; then teach them to read together. <a id="variant-h077"></a>
- Labyrinth by contact. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Touching a virtual wall gives a signal; the player explores the moves and builds a route in memory. Application: Invisible maze, exploration puzzle. Restrictions: Do not penalize for trying to explore without sufficient feedback. <a id="variant-h078"></a>
- Rhythm transformation. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The player receives a drawing and answers according to the rule: double the intervals, invert short and long, or repeat backwards. Application: Logic, programming, musical problems. Limitations: Clearly define the boundaries of the phrase and give training examples. <a id="variant-h079"></a>
- Finding a hidden rule. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Actions produce regular patterns; the player formulates a rule and tests it with new actions. Application: Scientific thinking, detective terminal, black box. Limitations: Do not accidentally change the rule before the player can make a testable conclusion. <a id="variant-h080"></a>


### 9. Stealth, danger and horror

<a id="family-stealth"></a>
id: family-stealth
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-stealth
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-stealth

The signal communicates risk, helps choose the moment and sometimes becomes evidence itself.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-stealth-variants"></a>
- Approaching threat. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: As danger increases, intervals become shorter; the player decides whether to hide, freeze or retreat. Application: Stealth, stalker, infested area. Limitations: The pattern can communicate risk, but a separate code is needed to direct the threat. <a id="variant-h081"></a>
- Detection by the enemy. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: Different series indicate suspicion, search and complete detection; the player chooses the answer. Application: Secret passage, social stealth. Limitations: State transition is more important than the continuous repetition of one warning. <a id="variant-h082"></a>
- Heartbeat as a risk scale. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: Paired impulses accelerate with the character's conditioned stress; the player reduces the risk by actions. Application: Hide and seek, horror, panic control. Limitations: This is a game parameter; do not pass it off as measuring a person’s real pulse. <a id="variant-h083"></a>
- Footsteps behind the wall. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: The rhythm of steps allows you to evaluate the approach and choose the moment to leave cover. Application: Patrol, invisible enemy, escape. Limitations: The type of step and distance are coded conditionally; one motor does not localize the source in the room. <a id="variant-h084"></a>
- Tactile anomaly detector. Role: Mechanics. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop, sensors. Rule: The player aims the device and compares the uneven signals to determine a safe passage. Application: Paranormal quest, radiation in the game. Limitations: The vibration motor does not measure real radiation or electromagnetic threats. <a id="variant-h085"></a>
- Freeze after the signal. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: After the warning, the player must hold the phone still; exceeding the movement threshold reveals the character. Application: Red light, hide and seek, careful carrying. Limitations: Filter vibrations from the motor itself, otherwise the device may punish the player for its own signal. <a id="variant-h086"></a>
- Masking action with noise. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Strong impulses indicate safe intervals of virtual noise; the player acts only in these moments. Application: Theft, crossing a creaking floor, bypassing security. Limitations: Here noise is a condition of the game world, and not an actual acoustic dimension. <a id="variant-h087"></a>
- Vibration as an outstanding sound. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Participants in the same room can hear a real motor; the player decides whether to receive a hint or remain silent. Application: Local hide and seek, social board game. Limitations: Sound depends on the body and surface; it cannot be counted on as an equal competitive channel. <a id="variant-h088"></a>
- False alarm as evidence. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The player matches several patterns and other signs to distinguish a real threat signal from interference. Application: Detective horror, unreliable device. Limitations: The interference rule must be explainable; arbitrary deception destroys the opportunity to learn. <a id="variant-h089"></a>
- Tactile screamer. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: A short sudden burst coincides with a pre-arranged plot event. Application: Horror, climax, sudden contact. Limitations: Give intensity adjustment and shutdown; Frequent outbursts quickly lose their meaning. <a id="variant-h090"></a>


### 10. Narrative, emotion and presence

<a id="family-story"></a>
id: family-story
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-story
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-story

Tactile patterns support a scene or indicate a recognizable motif.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-story-variants"></a>
- Character knock. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: A certain rhythm of knocking accompanies the appearance of a character and is later recognized without an image. Application: Story in messages, a door, an invisible companion. Limitations: Rhythm is an author's motive, not a universal emotional code. <a id="variant-h091"></a>
- Character through rhythm. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: Cautious, sharp or uneven impulses correspond to the behavior of a fictional interlocutor. Application: Dialogue, interactive prose, pet. Limitations: Emotional interpretations require testing with the audience and are not the same for everyone. <a id="variant-h092"></a>
- Virtual touch. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: touch, network. Rule: Touching an object or a coordinated gesture from a partner causes a short, soft response. Application: Caring for a pet, shared history, social presence. Limitations: Do not promise sensation of a certain part of the body or real transfer of force. <a id="variant-h093"></a>
- Rain and drops. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: Rare irregular pulses accompany drops, a denser pattern indicates a downpour. Application: Atmosphere, walk, weather scene. Limitations: Select noticeable moments; Long background is tiring and wastes battery. <a id="variant-h094"></a>
- Thunder and a major event. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: The rise and fall coincide with thunder, a landslide, or the passing of a heavy object. Application: Cut-scene, disaster, cinematic moment. Limitations: Synchronize with when the event reaches the character, if it is important for the scene. <a id="variant-h095"></a>
- The inner rhythm of a creature. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: Breathing, pulsation or beating of a wing forms a recognizable tactile image of a living object. Application: Hand-held creature, incubator, science fiction biology. Limitations: This is a staged model; don't make it a medical indicator... <a id="variant-h096"></a>
- Recognizable ability. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: A spell or device has its own short start and end sequence. Uses: Magic, gadgets, collectibles. Limitations: Vocabulary must be kept small and distinct. <a id="variant-h097"></a>
- Return of the motive. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: A previously learned rhythm appears in a new scene; the player recognizes a character, object or connection of events. Application: Detective, flashback, plot mystery. Limitations: If recognition is necessary for progress, give an alternative available clue. <a id="variant-h098"></a>
- Intentional lack of response. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: A familiar action suddenly does not produce the expected vibration; the player checks what has changed in the world. Application: Faulty device, missing satellite, plot twist. Limitations: The absence of a signal is ambiguous; confirm it with another channel and take into account the system shutdown. <a id="variant-h099"></a>
- The final tactile phrase. Role: Feedback. Features: Rich tactility. Input: status. Rule: A short composition ends a scene or repeats mastered signals in a new order. Application: Level finale, arc completion, reward. Limitations: Do not present the length or strength of the effect as a mandatory indicator of the value of the reward. <a id="variant-h100"></a>


### 11. Multiplayer and social interaction

<a id="family-multi"></a>
id: family-multi
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-multi
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-multi

Patterns convey local roles, commands and moments of joint action.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-multi-variants"></a>
- Hidden role. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network, touch. Rule: The private pattern communicates the role to the player, who then acts according to its rules. Application: Mafia, spy, asymmetrical board game. Limitations: The vibration motor can be heard by others; privacy is not guaranteed. <a id="variant-h101"></a>
- Operator and performer. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network, touch. Rule: One participant receives a vibration code, the other sees instructions; they agree on how to solve the problem. Application: Cooperative demining, communication puzzle. Limitations: Signal serves game asymmetry; communication between phones is provided by the network... <a id="variant-h102"></a>
- Simultaneous pressing. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network, touch. Rule: A common tactile count helps multiple players click in the same window. Application: Ritual, team launch, synchronized strike. Limitations: Use the total scheduled time and tolerance, and do not compare only the arrival time of network packets. <a id="variant-h103"></a>
- Passing the baton. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network, touch. Rule: After one player's action, the next phone receives the queue pattern; transmission delay affects the result. Application: Chain of command, relay race, joint music. Limitations: Introduce receipt acknowledgment and connection disconnection handling. <a id="variant-h104"></a>
- Tactile ping. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network, touch. Rule: The player sends a short conditioned signal of attention or readiness; the recipient confirms it. Application: Co-op, silent team communication. Limitations: Limit the frequency and allow incoming signals from other participants to be turned off. <a id="variant-h105"></a>
- Handshake password. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, network. Rule: Participants check the previously learned rhythm and decide whether to trust the character or continue the scene. Application: Social deduction, secret meeting in the game. Restrictions: This is the game password; do not use as real cryptographic authentication. <a id="variant-h106"></a>
- Asymmetrical hazard information. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network. Rule: Only one member senses the precursor of an attack and must warn the others in time. Application: Team boss, captain and crew. Limitations: Network and perception delay are included in the warning window. <a id="variant-h107"></a>
- Circular sequence. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network, touch. Rule: The signal passes between phones in order; participants guess the next one or change direction. Application: Tactile circle, party, attention game. Limitations: The order is determined by the application; The motor does not transmit a signal through the air to another phone. <a id="variant-h108"></a>
- Tactile essay for two. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: network, touch. Rule: Everyone adds pulses to a common phrase that is played on the participants' devices. Application: Collaborative music, greeting card, creative play. Limitations: Limit the length of the phrase and allow for local playback when network latency occurs. <a id="variant-h109"></a>
- Local telephone relay. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, sensors. Rule: Participants hand over one phone; the received signal requires passing it on or performing an action. Application: Hot potato, party game, turn. Limitations: Transmission is confirmed by touch or sensors; hold the device in your hands without throwing... <a id="variant-h110"></a>


### 12. Phone movement, sensors and AR

<a id="family-sensors"></a>
id: family-sensors
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-sensors
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-sensors

Individual sensors receive input; vibration communicates the result or helps correct movement.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-sensors-variants"></a>
- Sloping labyrinth. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: The player tilts the phone, and collisions of the virtual ball and entering the hole are marked by impulses. Application: Maze, balance, physics puzzle. Limitations: Requires orientation assessment; The motor is not a tilt sensor. <a id="variant-h111"></a>
- Tactile horizon. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: The pulse reports the phone's alignment; a separate code indicates an out of tolerance. Application: Virtual level, educational device, frame composition. Limitations: Accuracy depends on sensor calibration; Vibration may interfere with shooting at this moment. <a id="variant-h112"></a>
- Turn to the goal. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: The player rotates the phone until the signal hits the desired angle, then fixes the position. Application: Antenna, orientation lock, direction search. Limitations: The reference angle and drift are determined by the orientation system. <a id="variant-h113"></a>
- Shaking with feedback. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: Phone necks charge the virtual resource; pulses mark counted movements and reaching the threshold. Application: Flashlight, shaker, artifact energy. Limitations: Filter the device’s own vibration; set a moderate range of motion. <a id="variant-h114"></a>
- Uniform rocking. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: Signals show how much the movement falls into the desired rhythm; the player smoothes the trajectory. Application: Rocking a virtual creature, swing, balance. Limitations: Sensor data is evaluated; the swing and tempo are adjusted to suit the comfortable grip. <a id="variant-h115"></a>
- Smooth carrying. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: During sudden acceleration, the phone issues a warning; the goal requires moving a virtual fragile load smoothly. Application: Covert delivery, egg transfer, learning to control movement. Limitations: Introduce a pause or compensation after the impulse so that the motor does not create a false error. <a id="variant-h116"></a>
- Tapping on the body. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: The application recognizes the specified knock and responds with vibration; a sequence of knocks controls the action. Applications: Rhythmic input, response to a character, one-handed play. Limitations: Reliability varies by device; custom knock and your own motor need to be distinguished... <a id="variant-h117"></a>
- Voice with tactile results. Role: Mechanics. Features: Basic impulses. Input: microphone. Rule: When a specified volume, tempo or recognized command is reached, a signal is generated; player adjusts voice. Application: Voice play, spell control, speech rhythm. Limitations: Microphone and recognition algorithm provide input; Vibration can create acoustic interference. <a id="variant-h118"></a>
- AR contact. Role: Feedback. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: camera. Rule: A tactile impulse occurs when a beam is confirmed to cross, touch or pick up a virtual AR object. Application: AR constructor, museum object, tabletop scene. Limitations: Tracking delays are possible; Do not vibrate in such a way as to interfere with the stability of the camera. <a id="variant-h119"></a>
- Steps and tactile aim. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: sensors. Rule: The application compares recognized steps with a given pace and provides a rare corrective hint. Application: Rhythmic walking, play walking, exploring. Limitations: Requires a source of step events; The phone may be in your pocket, where the signal is felt differently. <a id="variant-h120"></a>


### 13. Accessibility and interaction without looking

<a id="family-accessibility"></a>
id: family-accessibility
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-accessibility
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-accessibility

The signal complements the available interface; suitability is checked with specific users.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-accessibility-variants"></a>
- Duplication of significant sounds. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: Events like a timer, hit, or bell get a tactile equivalent. Application: Hearing impaired users, playing without sound. Limitations: Not all sounds are worth encoding; save captions and visual indicators. <a id="variant-h121"></a>
- Tactile confirmation with the announcer. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Impulse confirms focus or action while narrator communicates content. Application: Accessible menus, forms, inventory. Limitations: Do not override system gestures or accessibility tools' own feedback. <a id="variant-h122"></a>
- Finding virtual buttons. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Screen exploration triggers an active region entry signal; the confirming action is performed separately. Application: Large game controls, auxiliary mode. Limitations: A person must understand the name and purpose of the found area by another channel. <a id="variant-h123"></a>
- Trained teams without vision. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: A small dictionary of rhythms indicates commands, and the user confirms or cancels the action. Application: Audio game, short navigation, interface without constant glance. Limitations: Provide training and give repetition; do not assume knowledge of the codes in advance. <a id="variant-h124"></a>
- Step-by-step tactile route. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: geodata. Rule: At suitable points, the application reports the next maneuver and asks for confirmation. Application: Orientation in a game, an accessible route in a controlled environment. Limitations: A real route requires reliable positioning and other orientation channels. <a id="variant-h125"></a>
- Loss of control signal. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: A specific pattern indicates loss of focus, connection, tracking or capture of an object. Application: Accessible editors, remote control, AR. Limitations: After a failure, provide a clear recovery path, not just vibration. <a id="variant-h126"></a>
- Personal calibration. Role: Application. Features: Rich tactility. Input: touch. Rule: The user selects a comfort level and confirms which patterns are discernible; the application adapts the dictionary. Application: Games with important tactile cues. Limitations: This is an interface setting; it does not measure the medical standard of sensitivity. <a id="variant-h127"></a>
- Adaptation to grip and context. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: setup, sensors. Rule: The user selects a profile for the hand or pocket; repetitions and duration of signals vary. Application: Walking, one-handed use, different cases. Limitations: Auto-detecting context is unreliable without verification; save manual selection. <a id="variant-h128"></a>
- Queue of important signals. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: When there are several events, the application first transmits the most important one, then the rest with delimiters. Application: Accessible game, navigator, multi-event interface. Limitations: The user cannot be expected to decipher physically superimposed patterns. <a id="variant-h129"></a>
- Equivalent alternative mode. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: setting. Rule: When vibration is turned off, the same game information is conveyed by sound, text, contrast marks or other input. Application: Accessibility, non-motorized devices, personal preference. Limitations: Keep hint content and fair time windows, not just visual effect. <a id="variant-h130"></a>


### 14. Daily tasks and productivity

<a id="family-utility"></a>
id: family-utility
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-utility
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-utility

The signal saves you from looking at the screen and helps you notice the state of the action.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-utility-variants"></a>
- Notification by category. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Enter: notifications. Rule: Different events receive several distinct patterns, allowing you to decide whether to look at the screen. Application: Call, message, reminder, task event. Limitations: Background notifications use system mechanisms; User settings take precedence. <a id="variant-h131"></a>
- Quiet timer. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: timer. Rule: At the end of the interval, a short noticeable series occurs; repeat is possible until confirmation. Application: Kitchen, focus session, performance. Limitations: Do not promise complete silence: the motor can be heard, especially on the table. <a id="variant-h132"></a>
- Presenter tips. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: timer. Rule: Pre-arranged series mark the remainder of the time and transition between parts of the performance. Application: Rehearsal, interview, presentation. Limitations: Patterns are planned before the performance; signals should not require complex calculations. <a id="variant-h133"></a>
- Interval cycle. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: timer. Rule: Different series indicate work, rest and the end of the next cycle. Application: Pomodoro, household tasks, game training. Limitations: To work with a locked screen, you need to check the platform script. <a id="variant-h134"></a>
- Text input feedback. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: Short responses accompany input, deletion, or acceptance of autocorrect. Application: Keyboard, short form, code input. Limitations: Frequent impulses can be tiring; follow the system keyboard settings. <a id="variant-h135"></a>
- Scan confirmation. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: camera, NFC. Rule: Successful reading of a code or tag triggers a pulse, allowing you to move on to the next object. Application: Warehouse, tickets, inventory, collections. Limitations: A read signal does not mean successful payment or sending of data without separate confirmation. <a id="variant-h136"></a>
- Achieving the target value. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: drag and drop, data. Rule: A pulse indicates that the manual tuning has reached a specified value or range. Application: Shutter speed, size, number of repetitions, audio parameter. Limitations: The source of the value must be reliable; Do not confuse setting with real measurement. <a id="variant-h137"></a>
- Transition to the instruction stage. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, timer. Rule: A short signal marks the completion of a step and the readiness of the next one. Application: Recipe, assembly, educational process. Limitations: Automatic transition is only possible with a confirmed event or an understandable timer. <a id="variant-h138"></a>
- Tactile note in the recording. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: A pulse confirms that a mark has been added to audio or video without requiring a long glance. Applications: Interviews, field recordings, bookmarks. Limitations: Vibration may enter the microphone or shake the frame; check the recording script. <a id="variant-h139"></a>
- Status reminder. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: status. Rule: A rare signal indicates a really changed state: the connection is lost, the device is ready, the task is completed. Application: Remote control, connecting an accessory, long-term operation. Limitations: Do not use frequent repetitions for events that a person cannot currently influence. <a id="variant-h140"></a>


### 15. Creativity, learning rhythm and relaxation

<a id="family-creative"></a>
id: family-creative
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-creative
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-creative

Expressiveness and convenience are important here, not claims of therapeutic effect.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-creative-variants"></a>
- Tactile path to music. Role: Application. Features: Rich tactility. Input: audio data. Rule: Beats and selected accents of the music track receive synchronous vibration events. Application: Music player, interactive video clip, rhythm game. Limitations: It is better to select significant events; direct copying of all sounds turns into hum. <a id="variant-h141"></a>
- Accents of the film or video. Role: Application. Features: Rich tactility. Input: video data. Rule: The author marks moments that are accompanied by a short tactile event. Application: Interactive cinema, trailer, training video. Limitations: Synchronization is required; This is an author's tactile track, not an automatic accurate rendering of the scene. <a id="variant-h142"></a>
- Tactile sequencer. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The user places pulses and pauses on a time grid, then plays the composition. Application: Musical instrument, pattern editor, prototyping. Limitations: Export semantics and timings; devices reproduce the drawing differently. <a id="variant-h143"></a>
- Vibration card. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch, network. Rule: The author records a short rhythmic gesture, and the recipient plays it back at will. Application: Personal message, congratulations, creative exchange. Limitations: Playback must be started consciously and allow disconnection. <a id="variant-h144"></a>
- Tactile brush. Role: Application. Features: Rich tactility. Input: drag and drop. Rule: Response changes with stroke speed, selected tool, or boundary crossing. Applications: Drawing, game calligraphy, musical painting. Limitations: It creates an association with the tool rather than the actual surface roughness. <a id="variant-h145"></a>
- Mastering the rhythmic pattern. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: touch. Rule: The student feels the sample, reproduces it and receives distinguishable hit and error signals. Application: Musical training, note durations, meter. Limitations: Test the transfer of the skill to the desired real instrument separately. <a id="variant-h146"></a>
- The rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. Role: Application. Features: Rich tactility. Input: timer. Rule: Smooth rise and fall or two different patterns indicate the phases of the selected comfort cycle. Application: Relaxation, short pause, meditative game. Limitations: Without a separate sensor, the application does not know the real breathing; No medical effect is claimed. <a id="variant-h147"></a>
- Focus on sensation. Role: Application. Features: Basic impulses. Input: timer, touch. Rule: The user notices rare impulses and marks them with a touch without competitive evaluation. Application: Exercise on attention, a calm interactive scene. Limitations: Provide the ability to immediately stop the session and adjust the duration. <a id="variant-h148"></a>
- Soft tactile toy. Role: Application. Features: Rich tactility. Input: touch, sensors. Rule: Gestures evoke comfortable short drawings, and the user chooses the appropriate responses. Application: Virtual fidget, sandbox, anti-stress toy. Limitations: Comfort is individual; Do not pass off an entertainment instrument as treatment. <a id="variant-h149"></a>
- Waveform comparison. Role: Application. Features: Rich tactility. Input: touch. Rule: The user changes the duration, rhythm, intensity and envelope and compares the sensations in pairs. Application: Teaching haptic design, palette checking, effects editor. Limitations: Distinguish between subjective assessment and physical measurement; results are linked to the device. <a id="variant-h150"></a>


### 16. Research and hardware extensions

<a id="family-experimental"></a>
id: family-experimental
canonicalId: phone-haptics--family-experimental
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-haptics/#family-experimental

These ideas require separate prototype, calibration, or equipment. These are not standard features of any phone.

#### Variants and applications

<a id="family-experimental-variants"></a>
- Estimation of pressure by attenuation. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Enter: sensors. Rule: The motor excites vibrations, and the sensors measure the change in response when pressed; the algorithm estimates the conditional pressure level. Application: Research input, additional control axis. Limitations: Principle studied in GripSense; This is an indirect assessment on specific equipment, not a universal force sensor. <a id="variant-h151"></a>
- Surface recognition. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Enter: sensors. Rule: Known motor excitation is matched with measured response and trained surface samples. Application: Prototype for detecting where a phone is lying, contextual interface. Limitations: VibePhone explores this approach; we need training data and testing of a specific set of surfaces. <a id="variant-h152"></a>
- Exchange through a common surface. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: sensors, second phone. Rule: One phone encodes a message in pulses, the other tries to decode surface vibrations with an accelerometer. Application: Research communication, desktop interactive object. Limitations: VibeComm shows the principle; the channel is slow and depends on the surface and calibration, does not replace the default network. <a id="variant-h153"></a>
- On the left and right there are two phones. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: two devices, network. Rule: Two independently controlled devices provide separate signals, allowing side to be encoded by bodily location. Application: Spatial guidance experiment, paired interactive scene. Limitations: Requires two actuators at different locations and synchronization; One regular phone does not guarantee such a channel. <a id="variant-h154"></a>
- Phone and wearable actuator. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: BLE, accessory. Rule: The phone calculates the event, and the bracelet or other compatible accessory plays the signal at the specified location. Application: Training, accessible navigation, immersive gaming. Limitations: Requires accessory protocol, permissions and latency testing; This is a separate piece of equipment... <a id="variant-h155"></a>
- Local screen vibration. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: special display. Rule: An array of actuators or a special design creates spatially distinct regions of response. Application: Research panel, tactile map, multiple independent contacts. Limitations: The standard phone API does not create random vibration under each finger. <a id="variant-h156"></a>
- Controlled surface friction. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: special display. Rule: A special electrostatic or ultrasonic system changes the feeling of finger sliding. Applications: Texture exploration, tactile boundaries, material interfaces. Limitations: Requires appropriate surface and control electronics; A regular vibration motor is not enough... <a id="variant-h157"></a>
- Physical resistance to movement. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: mechanical accessory. Rule: An external mechanism creates force or emphasis, and the phone controls the scenario and complements it with vibration. Application: Trainer, manipulator, tool simulator. Limitations: Resistance is created by an accessory; The vibration of the phone itself does not hold the finger or hand. <a id="variant-h158"></a>
- Movement on a vibration stand. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: stand, sensors. Rule: Concept: an asymmetrical support converts body vibrations into movement of a physical structure. Application: Robotics experiment, physical toy. Limitations: The bristlebot principle is known, but performance with a whole specific phone is not established by this catalog. <a id="variant-h159"></a>
- The surface is like a resonator. Role: Experiment. Features: Separate prototype. Input: stand, microphone. Rule: Concept: Motor pulses excite the table or body of an object, changing the audible and felt response. Applications: Interactive installation, acoustics research, material interface. Limitations: Effect depends on contact and material; controlled sound and the same sensation for participants are not guaranteed. <a id="variant-h160"></a>

- [GripSense, UIST 2012](https://ubicomplab.cs.washington.edu/pdfs/gripsense.pdf)
- [VibePhone: Vibration-Based Surface Recognition, 2012](https://rllab.snu.ac.kr/publications/papers/2012_cpsna_vibephone.pdf)
- [VibeComm, Sensors 2014](https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/14/11/21151)
- [Bristlebot: theoretical analysis, 2014](https://arxiv.org/abs/1410.8153)
- [Localized haptics: PVDF actuators, 2023](https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/12/7/289)
- [Disney Research: TeslaTouch, 2010](https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/teslatouch-electrovibration-for-touch-surfaces/)
- [Microsoft Research: TouchMover, 2013](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/touchmover-actuated-3d-touchscreen-with-haptic-feedback/)

## Restrictions



Touch, tilt, rotate, shake, voice and location provide individual components. The vibration motor is usually the output of the system.

Basic patterns describe pulses and pauses; intensity, sharpness and envelopes require the right hardware and API.

The rate of impulses is not equal to the physical frequency of oscillations. Sharpness is not a universal hertz control.

The vibration of a regular phone does not provide physical support, weight, traction or controlled friction. One actuator does not create independent arbitrary zones under different fingers.

iOS: System Feedback and Core Haptics on supported devices. Android: system effects and custom compositions; The motor capabilities are checked separately.

The browser's Vibration API sets the pulse and pause intervals. Safari API is not supported. The presence of a function or a response of true does not prove actual response.

Background reminders require mechanisms provided by the platform. Operation with a locked screen and system interrupts are tested separately.

Distinction depends on the model, case, grip, position and attention load. Vibration can interfere with the microphone, camera, and sensors.

Significant signals must have an accessible alternative, training, and a shutdown setting. Important simultaneous events are transmitted by priority rather than randomly overlapping.

## Roles



### M

Description: Mechanics

### F

Description: Feedback

### A

Description: Application

### X

Description: Experiment

## Possibilities



### base

Description: Basic pulses

### rich

Description: Rich tactility

### exp

Description: Separate prototype

## How to use the catalog



Separate player action, signal recognition, game rule, and feedback. The related variants here preserve the context of application and are not necessarily independent physical primitives.

When prototyping, test one rule and failure conditions first. The presence of an API, sensor, or source does not prove that all scenarios work. For devices, test feature availability, calibration, and alternate input on the actual target hardware.

## Sources and examples

Sources support particular techniques or methodology, not every family variant. Design examples and mechanic combinations are illustrative.

- [Apple: Playing haptics](https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/playing-haptics): Semantics of system patterns, short and continuous events, intensity, sharpness, shutdown and influence on other components.
- [Apple: Core Haptics](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corehaptics): Create your own events, dynamic patterns and sync with audio on supported devices.
- [Apple: Real-time parameters](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corehaptics/updating-continuous-and-transient-haptic-parameters-in-real-time): Changing parameters by gesture and controlling pattern playback.
- [Apple: CHHapticEngine.StoppedReason](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corehaptics/chhapticengine/stoppedreason): Interrupts, application suspension and other reasons for stopping the engine.
- [Android: Event Feedback](https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/haptic-feedback): System semantics of clicking, confirming and refusing; Recommended methods for calling and setting up a user.
- [Android: haptics API capabilities](https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/haptics-apis): Device differences, checking amplitude control and supported effects, background scenario requirements.
- [Android: native effects](https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/custom-haptic-effects): Compositions and envelopes; advanced forms require compatible hardware and APIs.
- [Android: haptic design principles](https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/haptics/haptics-principles): A clear connection between event and sensation, consistency and comfort.
- [Android: motion sensors](https://developer.android.com/develop/sensors-and-location/sensors/sensors_motion): Input sources for tilt, acceleration, shake and rotation.
- [MDN: Navigator.vibrate()](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Navigator/vibrate): Pulse and pause durations are available in the browser; Requires user activation, limited support.
- [MDN: Vibration API Compatibility Data](https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data/blob/main/api/Navigator.json): On the record vibrate: Safari does not support the API, and the presence of the function or true does not prove actual vibration.
- [Yoshida et al., 2023: Perception under load](https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.06556): The study shows the effects of walking and a cognitive task on signal detection; universal thresholds do not follow from here.
- [GripSense, UIST 2012](https://ubicomplab.cs.washington.edu/pdfs/gripsense.pdf): Study of indirect pressure assessment based on the device’s response to vibrations; the results refer to the described prototype.
- [VibePhone: Vibration-Based Surface Recognition, 2012](https://rllab.snu.ac.kr/publications/papers/2012_cpsna_vibephone.pdf): Study of surface recognition by vibration response.
- [VibeComm, Sensors 2014](https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/14/11/21151): Exploratory data transmission through vibrations of a common surface; limited speed and need for calibration.
- [Bristlebot: theoretical analysis, 2014](https://arxiv.org/abs/1410.8153): The mechanical principle of converting vibration into movement using a support; not proof of operation of a whole phone on a stand.
- [Localized haptics: PVDF actuators, 2023](https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/12/7/289): An exploratory multi-actuator design for spatially discriminative display feedback.
- [Disney Research: TeslaTouch, 2010](https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/teslatouch-electrovibration-for-touch-surfaces/): Controlled electrostatic friction requires a special surface; This is a different principle than body vibration.
- [Microsoft Research: TouchMover, 2013](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/touchmover-actuated-3d-touchscreen-with-haptic-feedback/): Example of physical force feedback with robotic display; not a function of a regular phone.