The satellite features two output channels highlighted in yellow, designated as "A" and "B". Any electromagnetic actuator can be attached. We specifically support 3 types of actuators:
Linear Resonant Actuators (LRAs)
These actuators are typically relatively low in their power demand. This is achieved by the mechanical design which includes a spring to temporarily store energy and retain it in the system. By driving the LRA at its natural frequency, called resonant frequency, it can oscillate with minimal energy loss. This enables low power requirements.
However, when driving LRAs at frequencies that are significantly different to their resonant frequency, the intensity of the resulting haptic signal typically drops dramatically and the power demand increases considerably. For that reason, LRAs are limited in their achievable frequency range.
See our knowledge base for more information.
Eccentric Rotating Mass (ERM)
ERMs have a relatively simple working principle: A mass is attached to a motor, with an offset to the rotating axis. Whenever the motor spins, it swings the mass around, which creates oscillating forces that are perceived as vibrations.
This type of actuator is relatively limited in its feature set: The intensity and frequency of its vibrations are inherently coupled and can therefore not be controlled independently.
Voice coil (VC)
Voice-coil type actuators are based on the same principle that acoustic speakers work with: A mass is dynamically positioned through electromagnetic actuation to create a haptic signal.
Similar to acoustic speakers, these actuators support a wide range of different frequencies and amplitudes and are therefore the most versatile choice. Their drawbacks include a relatively high power demand and control complexity.
If the actuator is supplied by Hapticlabs, a label will indicate the specific model you have. For custom actuators, please refer to the corresponding datasheet for the proper configuration.
