Haptic technology enables us to feel digital environments. Vibrations in a smartwatch, the resistance of a controller, or subtle tactile cues in augmented reality can guide users, improve accessibility, and make interactions more intuitive. It's widely used in navigation, gaming, and virtual tools, often enhancing our sense of control.
But what if that same technology can also steer our behaviour, without us noticing?
In the video below, researchers Abdallah El Ali from CWI/Utrecht University and Karthikeya Venkatraj from TU Delft talk about the concept of dark haptics: tactile signals that unconsciously influence decision-making. Their award-winning demo combines traditional vibrations with so-called pseudo-haptics, such as simulated barriers that resist your hand movement on screen.
Manipulate people
The idea emerged during a survey, when participants were asked if they wanted to provide their email address. Many initially selected “no”, but later changed their answer to “yes” after receiving negative haptic feedback. This surprising shift raised an urgent question: can touch be used to manipulate people?
Award
The researchers have since built a demonstrator that makes this effect visible, and are now investigating how to detect manipulative haptics in real time.
Their work was honoured at CHIWORK 2025, a leading conference on Human-Computer Interaction for Work.
