GAIKER is researching the development of plastic devices with haptic properties
The HAPTIC project will address the needs of Basque industry in the field of haptic technologies
The GAIKER Technology Centre, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), is leading the HAPTIC project: “Research into haptic materials and technologies, materials, electronics and control”. Its main objective is to develop devices with haptic properties using functional plastics instead of electromechanical systems. This approach will offer advantages such as greater integration through printed electronics processes, greater design flexibility allowing for their incorporation even into 3D surfaces, as well as reduced weight and space. Furthermore, it will improve sustainability by promoting greater recyclability and reduced dependence on other countries.
Haptics, driven by the growing interactivity and interconnectivity of devices, is becoming increasingly important in sectors such as the automotive, healthcare and industrial sectors. This development means that numerous systems and applications, particularly those known as human-machine interfaces (HMIs), are making use of this technology. In this context, there is a need for systems that maximise interactivity through feedback, facilitate intuitive operation and enhance the user experience. To this end, it is necessary to advance the state of the art to enable the implementation of haptic feedback in applications where it is currently not possible, mainly due to the lack of suitable haptic materials, particularly those of a polymeric nature.
With the aim of addressing this need, this research project was launched in 2025, funded by the Basque Government through its ELKARTEK programme for grants to collaborative research in strategic areas. HAPTIC will develop materials with a greater capacity to generate haptic feedback and analyse the relationship between the manufacturing process and variations in material properties. It will also study human perception of how these materials perform, user reactions to different stimuli, and design the electronics and software required to control them.
The main target market for this project is the automotive sector, where the development of printed haptic systems will enable the introduction of new product lines, as well as the integration of these systems into existing products. This will provide significant added value and create a point of differentiation from the rest of the market.
GAIKER, an expert in the research and development of polymer-based materials, is the coordinator of HAPTIC. It will also participate in the other research strands, including the selection of active materials and thermoplastic matrices, as well as the scaling and comparison of haptic materials developed in liquid dispersion (inks) with bulk materials (granules). It will also be involved in integration systems using electronic printing techniques, in the characterisation of haptic perceptions, in the development of materials for additive manufacturing, in signal processing and device control, as well as in integration and proof-of-concept testing, and in the analysis of the implications and requirements specific to the automotive sector.
