The term "haptics" (also known as "haptic technology") refers to devices that create minute movements to aid in the physical input of an electrical gadget. Haptic technology is frequently found in smartphones, wearables, video game interfaces, and desktop touchpads. It can give the appearance that a device is responding to your contact or is even resisting it.

Many gadgets mimic impacts and presses when you use a tablet, trackpad, or other input device by using haptics. For instance, the on-screen keypad of a smartphone may barely pulsate while you write each character. This physical confirmation that the smartphone has detected your input gives you the impression of hitting a genuine key. Additionally, haptic feedback is used for discreet alerts, particularly on wearables, which gently touch your wrist to alert you to a new message rather than making a sound.

Video game devices, such as the DualShock gamepad for the Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64's Rumble Pak, offered early tactile input. By quickly rotating an unstable weight, these early technologies—often referred to as "force feedback"—produced tremors. These unwieldy devices could only create a crude vibration sound. Instead, contemporary haptics use tiny electric bands and spring-loaded weights to generate sensations. Compared to rotating weights, these coils are considerably smaller and can produce much more exact motions.