BROMONT, Québec, April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Boréas Technologies today announced the Boréas Piezo Haptic Engine (Boréas PHE), the first module to harness the high power of piezo actuators to solve the greatest challenge of wearable haptic highs -Definition Feedback (HD) in a wide variety of low-power, space-restricted devices.
The Boréas PHE is a major advancement over the two legacy technologies that have dominated haptics in wearables and other small devices: Linear Resonance Actuators (LRAs) and Eccentric Rotating Mass Motors (ERM), where the quality of haptic performance is directly related to the connected is volume and mass of the LRA or ERM. This architectural approach makes these platforms too large to have a satisfactory user experience with wearables. In contrast, the Boréas PHE uses a small off-the-shelf piezo actuator and the bulk of other internal components to achieve exceptional haptic performance, eliminating the tradeoff between size, power, and performance typical of LRAs and ERMs.
“The quality of the haptic effects in smartwatches and fitness bands is critical to the user experience. Therefore, choosing a high quality haptic motor is essential to customer satisfaction, ”said Simon Chaput, Founder and CEO of Boréas Technologies. “However, the dominant actuators that are commonly used in wearables, LRAs and ERMs produce poorer haptic effects at the small size required for wearables.
“Piezo actuators, however, do not have this problem. When paired with our Boréas PHE, they create stronger, more realistic and more responsive haptic experiences that will delight users with the premium feel they have expected. In addition, their small size and extremely low power consumption are essential for devices where every millimeter and microampere is of the essence. “
Exceeding LRAs on wearables
The advantages of the BPHE over the LRA – the haptic technology most commonly used in wearables – are measurable.
- Greater bandwidth– The BPHE creates stronger haptic effects within a wider range of frequencies between 30 and 300 Hz, while small LRAs offer a narrow bandwidth at high frequencies (> 200 Hz).
- Faster rise and fall times– With rise times of 2.25 cycles versus 11 cycles for LRA and fall times <10 ms versus 80 ms for LRA, the faster response times of the Boréas PHE enable sharper, more realistic haptic effects in wearables
- Energy efficient– The Boréas PHE is up to 10 times more energy efficient than LRAs and extends battery life
- Small footprint– With a 12 x 4 x 1.8 mm piezo actuator, the BPHE is small enough for devices with limited volume
For more informations
The Boréas PHE integrates Boréas’ BOS1901CW, its low-power piezo-haptic driver chip, with third-party piezo actuators from leading companies. Try the Boréas PHE in the Boréas Fitness Tracker Reference Design or send an email to info@boreas.ca
About Boréas Technologies
Boréas Technologies Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company that markets product-differentiating piezo IC platforms in the consumer and industrial markets. Boréas was founded in 2016 in Bromont, Québec. The proprietary CapDrive ™ technology platform on which the company’s ICs are based is ideal for devices with limited resources such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, smartphones, game controllers and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Stay in touch with Boréas on LinkedIn, YouTube or visit us online: https://www.boreas.ca
The Boréas logo is a registered trademark and CapDrive is a trademark of Boréas Technologies Inc. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/12d34290-9bf3-49b5-a03d-58fc90003604
