Boréas Piezo buttons helping smartphone surfaces deliver localized haptics on Android smartphones

New piezo sensing platform delivers force-sensing, gesture detection, localized HD haptics to Android smartphones

BROMONT — Semiconductor company Boréas Technologies is trying to change haptics on smartphones through piezo adaptive trigger buttons, its integrated development platform that lets Android smartphone designers turn the phone’s edges into an interactive touch zone for better gameplay.

According to analyst firm Newzoo’s most recent Global Games Market Report, 2.8 billion gamers worldwide played on mobile devices in 2021—significantly outpacing gameplay on PCs at 1.4 billion and consoles at 0.9 billion over the same period. And revenues from mobile games are growing rapidly, up from $68.3 billion in 2019 to an estimated $116.4 billion by 2024, according to Newzoo. Despite this growth, the user experience is severely limited by current smartphone technologies.

“It’s time for smartphone gameplay to offer the same satisfying tactile experiences as older technologies such as consoles,” said Stuart Nixdorff, senior vice president, Boréas Technologies. “That’s the sweet spot for our piezo adaptive trigger buttons, a miniature ultra-low-power hardware-software platform that opens smartphones to richer, more satisfying gameplay for the first time. Imagine, for example, using piezo haptic trigger buttons to change the haptic feel of the rifle you’re using in a first-person shooter game, or experiencing context-sensitive vibrations when you open different locks in a puzzle-box game. Boréas piezo adaptive trigger buttons opens previously inaccessible real estate on the sides of the phone to more personalized touch-sensing and force-feedback experiences that will delight mobile gamers.”