Immersion, a MEX alumnus and sponsor, was launching the latest version of its haptics platform at Mobile World Congress: Motiv. The new platform makes it much easier for handset manufacturers to add haptics to Android devices by pre-integrating a palette of haptic effects with every interface action on the device. It can also be used to ‘retro-fit’ haptics to existing software and games by analysing their soundtracks and producing suitable haptic feedback in real-time.

The most impressive demo was the virtual guitar, where plucking the strings on the screen felt exactly like it would on a real instrument. A sign haptics is evolving from the basic vibration confirmations to something capable of conveying real fidelity in tactile experience.