Application Report

SLOA194 – May 2014

Haptic Energy Consumption

Flora Wang Haptics Product

ABSTRACT
Many electronic products must interact with the user or operator to communicate. For the
last 40 years, the main communication methods in electronics have been audible or visual
feedback; their main language of communication is sound and light. Today, haptic
feedback has become another way for electronics to communicate with human beings,
using their sense of touch. Haptics can be used in consumer, industrial, and automotive
applications, such as a smartphone, tablet, mouse, ATM machine, and automotive
infotainment systems.
A smartphone, smart-watch, and fitness tracker are all portable battery-powered systems
that can use haptics. Many engineers may be concerned with the energy consumption of
haptics in battery critical applications. The DRV2605 and DRV2667 are haptics drivers
that can enhance the user experience with haptics, while at the same time minimizing
energy consumption.
This document introduces three types of actuator technologies, explains how to measure
energy consumption, and compares each type of actuator.

Contents
1 Haptics Technology Overview ..................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Eccentric Rotating Mass ......................................................................................................... 2
1.2 Linear Resonant Actuator ....................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Piezo Actuator ........................................................................................................................ 4
2 How to Measure Energy ............................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Current Consumption.............................................................................................................. 6
2.2 Energy Consumption .............................................................................................................. 7
2.3 Current Versus Acceleration ................................................................................................... 7
3 Energy Consumption Comparisons for ERM, LRA and Piezo................................................... 9
4 Energy Consumption Advantage of DRV2605.......................................................................... 11
Appendix A. Energy Consumption of Actuators.............................................................................. 13
Appendix B. Test Setup Picture ........................................................................................................ 14
Appendix C. Energy Consumption Calculation for Smartphone Scenarios .................................. 15

Figures
Figure 1. Three Types of Actuators ................................................................................................ 2
Figure 2. LRA Resonant Frequency Drift ....................................................................................... 3
Figure 3. Click Current Consumption Measurements ................................................................... 6
Figure 4. Buzz Energy Consumption Measurements .................................................................... 7
Figure 5. Energy Consumption of Piezo, LRA, and ERM .............................................................. 9
Figure 6. Buzz Waveform With Auto Resonant on/off................................................................. 11
Figure 7. Startup Speed ................................................................................................................ 12

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Figure 8. Stop Speed ..................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 9. Test Setup Illustration ................................................................................................... 14

Tables
Table 1. Actuator Comparisons .................................................................................................... 5
Table 2. Click Current Consumption Data.................................................................................... 6
Table 3. Click Energy Consumption Data .................................................................................... 7
Table 4. Buzz Energy Consumption Data..................................................................................... 8
Table 5. Energy Consumption Comparisons Data ...................................................................... 9
Table 6. Phone Scenarios............................................................................................................ 10
Table 7. Auto Resonance on and off Data................................................................................. 11
Table 8. Actuator Energy Consumption Data ............................................................................ 13

1 Haptics Technology Overview

Haptics provide mechanical feedback through the use of vibrations to simulate specific events,
surfaces, and effects. It can simulate different surfaces and effects by varying frequency,
amplitude, duration, and direction of a vibration.
Figure 1 illustrates three types of actuators, Eccentric Rotating Mass (ERM), Linear Resonant
Actuator (LRA), and Piezo Actuator.

Eccentric Rotating Linear Resonant Piezo

Mass (ERM) Actuator (LRA)

Figure 1. Three Types of Actuators

1.1 Eccentric Rotating Mass

An ERM is a DC motor with an off-center mass that spins to create vibrations. When the ERM
rotates, the off-center mass results in a centripetal force; this kind of centripetal force causes
displacement of the motor. People perceive this displacement as a vibration. The ERM vibrates
because of rotation forces so there is acceleration on two axes (X, Y, or Z axis). This creates
losses in unintentional axes in some applications.
Advantages:

• Easy to drive

• Low cost

• Flexible form factor (bar or coin)

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Disadvantages:

• Slow response

• Acceleration is correlated with angular frequency(ERM)

• Higher energy consumption

1.2 Linear Resonant Actuator

An LRA is a spring-mass system that vibrates in a linear motion. Inside, there is a coil
suspended by springs and when voltage is applied, the coil generates a magnetic field. The coil
interacts with the magnet and mass, whereas the magnetic field varies with the applied drive
signal, the magnet and mass move up and down creating force. This movement is perceived as
a vibration.
Noticeable vibrations only occur at the resonant frequency due to the spring constant. Linear
actuators must be driven within a narrow band (±2 Hz) around the resonant frequency; otherwise
it results in a drop-off of acceleration (see Figure 2). Due to manufacturing tolerance, component
aging, temperature and mechanical mounting, the LRA’s exact resonant frequency varies. The
DRV2605 with auto-resonance function can detect the resonant frequency, helping increase
acceleration performance.

Causes for Resonant Frequency Drift

Ideal Resonant Frequency •Manufacturing tolerance
•Component aging
•Temperature
•Mechanical mounting
Strength

Vibration performance
•Device position
drops 25% in 2.5 Hz
•Gripped tightly
•Set on a table

LRA

170 175 180 Frequency (hz)

Figure 2. LRA Resonant Frequency Drift

The LRA acceleration occurs in one axis because it vibrates in an up and down motion. This
benefits an LRA to create more vibration strength and have more energy savings.
Advantages:

• Faster response time than ERM

• Larger acceleration

• Higher efficiency

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Disadvantages:

• Resonant frequency drift reduces acceleration

• Difficult to drive

1.3 Piezo Actuator

Piezoelectric materials are a type of materials that will deform (move) when a voltage is applied.
Piezo haptic actuators enable precise actuation for high-definition haptics which corresponds to
a faster start-up time, a higher bandwidth of drive voltage, lower audible noise, and stronger
vibrations compared with ERMs and LRAs.
Piezo actuators come in two types: single-layer or multi-layer. The single-layer Piezo requires
higher voltage to move some distance because Piezo actuators are capacitive loads. Multi-layer
Piezo requires lower voltages but higher current. The DRV2667 can drive Piezo actuators up to
200 Vpp.
Piezo actuators vibrate when a voltage is applied, which causes a deformation in the Piezo
material. The deformation in the material creates a flexing motion, which results in acceleration
in one direction. Overall, Piezo actuators have stronger acceleration, faster response times, and
lower energy consumption.
Advantages:

• Quick response time

• Wide frequency bandwidth

• Larger acceleration

• Higher efficiency

• Lower audible noise

• Available in a variety of shapes and sizes

• Flexible mounting options

Disadvantages:

• Needs higher voltages to drive

• More expensive compared to LRA and ERM

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Table 1 shows a comparison of ERM, LRA and Piezo actuator.

Table 1. Actuator Comparisons

Attribute ERM LRA Low Layer High Layer
Count Piezo Count Piezo
Performance Good Better Best Best
Acceleration (g) ~1g ~1–2g ~3–5g ~3–5g
Audible Noise Very noisy Moderate noise Silent Silent
Response Time ~50 ms ~30 ms 0.5 ms 0.5 ms
Energy Consumption high low lower lower
High-Definition Haptics No No Yes Yes
Cost $ $$ $$ $$$

2 How to Measure Energy

In this document, we evaluated the AAC 1036C LRA, Sanyo NRS2574I ERM, and SEMCO
PHAT423535XX Piezo module. All the graphs were taken on the DRV2604EVM-CT and
DRV2667EVM-CT. Below is the legend for the oscilloscope channels:
 C1: The wave of OUT+
 C2: The wave of OUT–
 Math: The wave of C1-C2
 C3: Acceleration
 C4: Mean current

Energy consumption is very important for portable applications, especially for wearable products
like smart watches, bands, and fitness trackers. This section explains how to measure energy
consumption and compares the energy advantages of each actuator.
There are three ways to measure the energy in haptics.

• Current Consumption

• Energy Consumption

• Current versus Acceleration

The following sections explore these different methods:

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2.1 Current Consumption

This section compares the average current consumption of ERM, LRA, and Piezo. This is useful
when comparing the instantaneous current consumption of each actuator. It can also show the
maximum number of clicks for battery-powered products.

(a) ERM (b) LRA (C) Piezo

Figure 3. Click Current Consumption Measurements
Figure 3 shows the click waveforms of ERM, LRA, and Piezo actuators. The mean current
measurement of the waveform shows the energy consumption of each type of actuator. Keeping
peak acceleration constant around 0.9g, the ERM consumes 124 mA, the LRA consumes 51.3
mA, and the Piezo consumes 62.6 mA.
For a 1200-mAh battery, we can use the current consumption to calculate the maximum number
of clicks. Use the ERM values from Table 2 to calculate an example:
1200𝑚𝐴ℎ
Maximum # of clicks of ERM= ∗ 3600𝑠/ℎ = 696774
124𝑚𝐴∗50𝑚𝑠

Table 2. Click Current Consumption Data

Click Mean Current Time Window MAX Acceleration MAX Number of Clicks
(mA-per click) (ms) (g) (1200-mAh Battery)
ERM 124 50 0.868 696774
LRA 52.6 40 0.956 2053232
Piezo 62.6 19.61 0.921 3570076

Conclusion

• Comparing ERM and LRA, the LRA consumes half the current of the ERM at the same
acceleration.

• The current consumption of a Piezo click is close to the consumption of an LRA click and is
lower than the consumption of an ERM click.

• For the Piezo, the maximum number of clicks is five times greater than the ERM. As for the
LRA, the maximum number of clicks is three times greater than the ERM.

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2.2 Energy Consumption

This section describes the energy consumption during each haptic event. The energy
consumption for clicks, buzzes, and alerts can be measured in µA-hour and mA-hour.
For the ERM in Figure 3, the click duration is 50 ms. The energy consumption of the ERM click
can be calculated using the following equation:
124𝑚𝐴∗50𝑚𝑠
Energy consumption of ERM= = 1.72µ𝐴ℎ
3600 𝑠/ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟

Using the previous equation, the energy consumption of an LRA click is 0.57 µAh and for Piezo,
the energy consumption is 0.34 µAh.

Table 3. Click Energy Consumption Data

Click VDD (V) Mean Current (mA) Time Window Energy (µAh per Click)
(ms)
ERM 5 124 50 1.72
LRA 5 52.6 40 0.58
Piezo 5 62.6 19.61 0.34

Conclusion

• Compared with the ERM, the LRA offers 67% energy savings per click. The LRA has the
best efficiency and is better for applications concerned with battery life.

• The Piezo has quick response time which creates the shortest effects. The short duration of
the Piezo click and the quick response time helps contribute to energy savings.

2.3 Current Versus Acceleration

There is another parameter that measures the ratio of the current to the acceleration. It shows
which actuator provides the best acceleration but consumes the least amount of current. This
method is used for a continuous and constant acceleration effect.

(a) ERM (b) LRA (C) Piezo

Figure 4. Buzz Energy Consumption Measurements

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Figure 4 shows the energy consumption for the ERM, LRA, and Piezo during a buzz effect. A
buzz waveform is a continuous waveform with constant acceleration. The actuators are
compared with different acceleration forces by using a new energy metric called “mA/g”, which is
the current per unit of acceleration. This metric normalizes the current per unit of acceleration.

Table 4. Buzz Energy Consumption Data

Buzz Mean current(mA) Acceleration (g) Energy(mA/g)
ERM 58.3 0.91 62.1
LRA 52.2 1.63 32.0
Piezo 67.4 0.93 72.4

Conclusion

• The LRA consumes the least current per g, which means it is the best actuator for long
duration effects

• The ERM and Piezo nearly consume the same current per g in the long time effects
See Appendix A for the energy consumption of a click tested on more kinds of actuators. The
data is evaluated on the DRV2603EVM-CT. However, there is no significant difference when
testing on the DRV2604EVM-CT.

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3 Energy Consumption Comparisons for ERM, LRA and Piezo
In this section, we summarize more energy consumption data for the ERM, LRA, and Piezo with
different types of haptic effects.

Table 5. Energy Consumption Comparisons Data

Piezo LRA ERM

Duration Consumption Accelerate Duration Consumption Accelerate Duration Consumption Accelerate

Effect
(ms) (µAh) (g) (ms) (µAh) (g) (ms) (µAh) (g)

Bump 13.3 0.31 0.96 40 0.30 0.93 39 1.14 0.89

Click 19.61 0.34 0.921 51.3 0.57 0.903 50 1.72 0.90

Pulse 48 0.90 0.91 91 0.68 0.95 94 1.72 0.92

Alert 60 1.18 0.92 75 0.47 0.91 78.70 2.00 0.96

Buzz 609 11.4 0.90 752 3.38 1.00 609 11.41 0.93

Figure 5 converts this data to a bar graph:

20
18
16
Energy Consumption /uAh

14
12 Piezo
10 LRA
8 ERM
6
4
2
0
Bump Click Pulse Alert Buzz Total

Figure 5. Energy Consumption of Piezo, LRA, and ERM

Table 5 and Figure 5 illustrate the following conclusions:

• The Piezo consumes the least amount of energy on short effects compared to the other
actuators

• When playing longer, constant-acceleration effects, Piezo consumes the same amount of
energy as ERM

• The LRA can save 60%-80% energy compared to ERM

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The actuator is loaded with a 100g metal mass to simulate a smartphone. Appendix B shows the
test condition, and Appendix C shows how to use the effects data in Table 6 to calculate each
scenario for a smartphone.

Table 6. Phone Scenarios

Energy Consumption (uAh)

Usage Piezo LRA ERM

Phone Call (1x) 140.2 46.31 154.22

15x 2103 694.62 2313.54

Text Message (1x) 72.74 115.87 352.40

15x 1091.04 1737.96 5286

Reply to an Email (1x) 106.74 172.86 524.6

5x 533.68 864.32 2623

Reminder (1x) 125.84 38.5 134.18

10x 1258.4 385 1341.8

Games - 60 minutes 4725.6 3538.68 11084.16

Social media - 60 minutes 2628 2235.40 6979.30

Other Activities - 60 minutes 2624.69 2242.46 7087.40

Standby 240 45.6 45.6

Total 15204.41 11744.05 36760.8

Total /1200 mAh Battery (%) 1.267 0.979 3.06

It is very clear that LRA and Piezo have big energy advantages for portable applications. For the
smartphone application, an ERM consumes nearly two times more energy than LRA and Piezo.
The battery of a smart-watch is usually much smaller, so the proportion of total energy
consumption of haptics is more significant. In this case, the energy savings of TI haptics solution
is more significant.

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4 Energy Consumption Advantage of DRV2605
The DRV2605 is a haptic driver for ERM and LRA actuators. It contains many features that help
reduce energy consumption for LRA actuators. One important feature is the auto-resonance
tracking engine. Auto-resonance tracks the resonant frequency of an LRA in real time. If the
resonant frequency shifts in the middle of a waveform for any reason, the engine will track the
frequency cycle to cycle to maximize the actuator acceleration. By vibrating at the resonance
frequency, the driver needs less energy per “g” of acceleration, which means instant energy
savings.

Acceleration=1.64g Acceleration=1.00g

(a)Auto Resonant on (b) Auto Resonant off

Figure 6. Buzz Waveform With Auto Resonant on/off

Table 7. Auto Resonance on and off Data

Acceleration (g) Start Time (ms) Stop time (ms) f (Hz) Energy (mA/g)

Resonance on 1.64 56.0 14.5 175 28.4

Resonance off 1.00 51.7 71.6 185 51.8

Table 7 shows that acceleration is much larger and power consumption is much lower when
auto-resonance is on. With auto-resonance on, the DRV2605 adapts to the changing LRA
resonant frequency which is centered around 175 Hz. However, the driver no longer tracks the
frequency when auto-resonance is off. That is why stronger acceleration is achieved when auto-
resonance is on.
Auto-resonance also improves the startup speed and stop speed of the actuators.

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Figure 7. Startup Speed

Figure 8. Stop Speed

Table 7 shows that the start time with auto-resonance on is longer; however, this is a result of
the higher acceleration due to auto-resonance. The auto-resonance engine can help actuators
start and stop more quickly and reach the same acceleration in less time, just as Figure 7 and
Figure 8 show. In Table 7 when auto-resonance is on, the actuator just needs slightly more time
to produce a larger acceleration force.

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Appendix A. Energy Consumption of Actuators

Table 8 shows energy consumption of more actuators of different manufactures, including AAC,
SEMCO, Copal, AWA, and Sanyo.

Table 8. Actuator Energy Consumption Data

Actuators Duration (ms) Acceleration (g) Full-Scale Click (µAh per click)
LRA – AAC ELV1411 50 0.941 0.680
LRA – Partron (Rectangle) 50 0.466 0.531
LRA – Partron (Round) 50 0.557 0.458
LRA – LG Innotek 50 1.32 0.412
LRA – AAC ELV1036A 50 0.914 0.541
LRA – SEMCO 1030 50 0.846 0.521
LRA – SEMCO 1036 50 0.795 0.414
LRA – Copal AA7 45 0.631 0.633
ERM – Sanyo NRS2574I 45 1.103 1.819
ERM – Sanyo BMR3565 45 0.541 1.284
ERM – AWA GS-2717 45 0.580 0.718
ERM – Sanyo BNK3266 45 0.550 1.342
Piezo – SEMCO 16.5 0.904 0.782
Piezo – AAC 16.5 0.543 0.680

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Appendix B. Test Setup Picture

Figure 9 illustrates a haptic energy consumption test setup.

Figure 9. Test Setup Illustration

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Appendix C. Energy Consumption Calculation for Smartphone Scenarios

This section shows how to use the data of Figure 5 to calculate the smartphone scenarios.
1. Phone call-15 times a day
– Dial phone numbers: Assume the user dials 10 numbers in each phone call. There are a total
of 150 clicks.
– Receive phone calls: Assume each phone call received has 12 buzzes, every 2 buzz
combines a ringing. There are a total of 180 buzz effects.
2. Text Message-15 times a day
– Write a text message: Assume 40 words in each text message, each word combines 5
characters. There are a total of 3000 clicks.
– Receive a text message: Assume there are 4 alerts when receiving a text message. There
are 60 alerts in total.
3. Email-5 times a day
– Reply to an email: Assume there are 60 words in each email, each word combines 5
characters. There are a total of 1500 clicks.
– Receive an email: Assume each text message received has 4 alerts. There are 20 alerts in
total.
4. Reminding-10 times a day
Assume each reminder consists of 10 alerts and 10 buzzes.
5. Games-60 minutes a day
Different games use different effects, so just assume they include the following effects in 10
minutes and games are played for one hour each day.
– Bump: 100 times
– Click: 500 times
– Pulse: 200 times
– Alert: 150 times
– Buzz: 20 times
6. Social media- 60 minutes a day
Assume there are the following effects in 10 minutes, and then interpolate the data for 60
minutes.
– Bump: 70 times
– Click: 400 times
– Pulse: 80 times
– Alert: 60 times
– Buzz: 12 times

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7. Other- 60 minutes a day, including search, web, news, clock
Assume there are following effects and people consumed the total time of one hour on
these actions.
– Bump: 720 times
– Click: 2400 times
– Pulse: 360 times
– Alert: 312 times
– Buzz: 78 times
8. Standby energy consumption
The DRV2605 (ERM and LRA driver) standby current is 1.9 µA, and the DRV2667 (Piezo
driver) standby current is 10 µA. For one day the energy consumption of ERM and LRA
driver is 45.6 µAh, and Piezo driver is 240 µAh.

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