Microsoft had a quick entry and exit with their last wearable device – the Microsoft Band. It was a great device, but the support from Microsoft was lacking and the quick drop from their lineup was swift. They seem to be wanting to get back into the wearable market in some form. Microsoft has submitted a patent to the USPTO (PDF here) for a new haptic feedback wearable device, which would give physical stimuli to the wearer for certain actions (pressing buttons on a controller, for example).
“Haptic stimulation systems apply forces or vibrations to stimulate a user’s sense of touch. Touch-screen devices may use haptic feedback to indicate key presses to a user; games controllers may use haptic feedback to increase video game immersion (e.g. by vibrating in response to a collision or explosion within a video game) and smart watches may use haptic feedback to provide silent alerts to the wearer,” Microsoft explains.
