Hapget

A hapget (haptically-enhanced widget) is a user interface element that combines a 3D visual representation with haptic (touch) feedback, audio cues, and descriptive metadata to enable non-visual interaction. Introduced in the 3D HapticWebBrowser project, hapgets transform standard HTML elements (buttons, links, images, form controls) into tactile objects that blind users can identify and interact with using a haptic device. Each hapget has distinct haptic characteristics — including stiffness, friction, and effects like buzz or inertia — along with an earcon (short audio signal) and a unique 3D shape, all designed to convey the element type through touch. The concept extends the notion of GUI widgets into the haptic domain, offering an alternative to sequential screen reader navigation by allowing spatial exploration of web page structure.