COMMENT
In good hands: How custom ICs are restoring touch to human-machine interfaces
“To touch is to give life,” said Michelangelo. Though spoken in Renaissance Italy, the idea still resonates in the Digital Age. Traditional controls are being replaced by sleek digital interfaces, removing the tactile cues that once guided human action.
By Ross Turnbull, director of business development at application- specific integrated circuit (ASIC) specialist Swindon Silicon Systems.
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n the earliest industrial machines, operators controlled equipment using physical inputs such as levers, knobs, buttons and switches. These are the first human- machine interfaces (HMIs). Acting as a direct link between humans and machines, they allowed users to guide operations, monitor responses and make adjustments in real time.
Over time, they have been replaced by digital panels and touchscreens. These interfaces allow for flexible layouts and programmable controls; however, this evolution has largely removed the tactile cues that mechanical interfaces provided. Without this feedback, users must rely on visual or auditory signals. In demanding industrial environments, this can impact performance and safety, increasing cognitive load and slowing reaction times. The increase of digital revolution and industrial modernisation presents a key challenge for designers: how can they maintain intuitive, responsive and safe human-machine interaction?
Restoring the sense of touch Haptic technology allows digital systems to recreate physical sensations, generating tactile responses that signal when an input has been recognised or when a machine has changed state. These effects range from a sharp, button-like click to more nuanced pulses or vibrations that guide user behaviour.
These sensations are created by actuators such as piezo elements, linear resonant actuators or electrostatic drivers that convert electrical signals into controlled
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motion. However, the quality of feedback depends on how precisely these signals are generated and delivered. Even small deviations in amplitude, frequency, or pulse shape can make sensations feel unnatural. To maintain responsive feedback, haptic systems often rely on closed-loop control, precise waveform shaping and real-time adjustment. These features ensure that each tactile pulse aligns with human expectations.
As digital interfaces replace mechanical controls, this capability becomes increasingly important. Traditional switches communicate through movement and resistance; flat touch panels do not. Haptics restore that missing layer of communication, providing users with a physical confirmation
FEBRUARY 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
of their actions.
Inputs can be confirmed without relying on visual cues, which helps reduce cognitive load and keeps attention on the task rather than the screen. It also helps improve reaction times and enables operators to perform high-precision actions with confidence.
Yet, creating reliable, expressive haptic feedback is still challenging without the right expertise. It demands low-latency signal generation, precise actuator control and consistent performance in harsh industrial environments.
Custom solutions
Delivering precise haptic feedback requires electronics that can generate signals with
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