Dialog Semiconductor PLC has entered the haptics market with an integrated circuit capable of driving both eccentric rotating mass (ERM) and linear resonant actuators (LRA) motors, as well as a high-definition wideband drive and 76 percent lower idle power consumption.
Dialog said haptic systems today are limited by implementations done in standalone microcontrollers or haptic-enabled power management ICs. The new chip, dubbed DA7280, features HD waveform generation, resonant frequency tracking capabilities and up to 500 mA of drive capability.
Because haptic drivers spend the majority of their time in standby or idle mode, the DA7280 was designed to consume 360 nA to maximize battery life. Multiple general purpose inputs allow low latency triggering of haptic sequences, making the chip suited for Android systems and incorporating a sensor hub and application processor.
Dialog said the DA7280 allows the application processor to remain in deep sleep while the sensor hub triggers up to six haptic events directly. In active mode, the application processor can trigger or stream complex sequences using I2C.
The IC combines custom drive sequences up to 1 kHz for HD haptic effects, along with resonant frequency tracking for driving both LRA and ERM motors. The click or vibration effects of the device can be used with smartphones, automotive human interface systems, gaming and wearables, as well as touchscreens, virtual reality systems and personal medical devices.
