Ultra-thin PiezoHapt™ actuator with low driving voltage

TDK has expanded its portfolio of haptic components with the new ultra-thin PiezoHapt™ actuator featuring a very short response time of just 4 ms. PiezoHapt has a unimorph design consisting of a multilayer piezo element bonded to one side of a vibration plate. With a thickness of a mere 0.35 mm the new haptic actuator is much thinner than conventional eccentric rotary motors and linear resonant actuators, and one of the world's thinnest haptic devices. Moreover, thanks to its fast rise time, PiezoHapt represents a power-saving solution compared to conventional solutions. Shipments of samples will begin in March 2017.

The actuator can be driven with low voltages of ≤24 V and can produce a wide variety of vibration patterns, depending on the amplitude and frequency of the voltage applied. The new PHUA8060-35A-33-000 type has a footprint of 80 mm x 60 mm (vibration plate). At a frequency of 200 Hz (sine-wave) and a voltage of 24 V peak, the component offers a typical displacement of 55 µm. PiezoHapt is an ideal component for providing haptic feedback to user actions in the displays of smartphones and tablets.

The PiezoHapt actuator is a new addition to the lineup of TDK’s actuators with haptic feedback, which also includes the PowerHap™ series. Announced in November 2016, PowerHap types feature higher displacement and the highest acceleration and force, all in a single component with integrated sensor functionality, and are suitable especially for applications in vehicles, household appliances, game controllers, industrial equipment and more. With the new PiezoHapt and PowerHap product families, TDK can now provide cutting-edge high-performance haptic solutions for a very wide range of applications.

Main applications

• Displays for smartphones and other devices, car navigation systems, touch pads, controllers, etc.

Main features and benefits

• Low driving voltage of ≤24 V
• Thickness of about 0.35 mm, making it one of the thinnest haptic devices in the world
• Very short response time
• Wide variety of possible vibration patterns

Key data

* At 200 Hz (sine wave) without load