Haptic message delivery

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes determining if notifications to be sent to user would benefit from being delivered by haptic stimulation under a current context. This determination may be made by accessing historical notification data of how the user previously responded to notifications in a similar context, and ranking conversion scores for each of one or more haptic-enabled delivery channels, wherein a conversion score indicates a probability of the user interacting with the notification. The most appropriate haptic message-delivery channel is selected based on the scores and historical data, and the notification is sent accordingly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising, by a computing device:
 accessing a notification to be sent to a user;   determining a haptic pattern associated with the notification based at least on a sender of the notification; and   sending the notification to a first haptic-enabled delivery channel for a delivery of the notification using haptic stimulation to the user's skin, wherein the applied haptic stimulation corresponds to the determined haptic pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the haptic pattern associated with the notification comprises:
 accessing a mapping of predefined personal-identification haptic patterns to notification-sender identifiers; and   determining a predefined personal-identification haptic pattern corresponding to an identifier associated with the sender of the notification based on the mapping.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a current delivery context of the user;   retrieving, from a history service:   historical notification data associated with the user with respect to the current delivery context of the notification; and   ranking conversion scores for each of one or more haptic-enabled delivery channels, wherein a conversion score indicates a probability of the user interacting with the notification;   determining a notification policy to apply to the notification based at least in part on the notification, the historical notification data, the conversion scores, or the current delivery context of the user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first haptic-enabled delivery channel is selected among one or more haptic-enabled delivery channels available for the delivery of the notification using haptic stimulation to the user's skin based on the determined notification policy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the notification policy is further based on a priority setting for the notification. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein an intensity of the applied haptic stimulation to the user's skin is dependent upon the priority setting. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applied haptic stimulation includes at least one of an applied elevated temperature or lowered temperature from an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applied haptic simulation includes at least one of a distributed pressure force, a pin-point force, a vibration, a scratching sensation, or a tracing sensation to the user's skin. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tracing sensation forms patterns in accordance with the notification, wherein the tracing sensation is achieved by an actuator that applies a moving stimulation to the user's skin, and wherein the actuator is within a housing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator is an electromechanical solenoid having an armature directed to, retract from, and extend towards the user's skin. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator is a blower that selectively applies air pressure to the user's skin. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator comprises ferrofluid that changes shape from a rest shape to an active shape in response to an applied magnetic field, and wherein the ferrofluid applies pressure to the user's skin when in its active shape. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the housing includes an array of individually actuatable electromagnets;   the ferrofluid being trapped between the array of electromagnets and a flexible film that faces the user's skin; and   a position of the active shape of the ferrofluid corresponds to a position of an actuated electromagnet.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the housing provides dual-axis planar movement control of the actuator, the housing including two pairs of opposing arm-controllers having respective arms extending toward each other and holding the actuator between them in a gantry structure, a first of the two pairs of opposing arm-controllers providing first linear movement of the actuator along a first axis of motion, and a second of the two pairs of opposing arm-controllers providing second linear movement of the actuator along a second axis of motion perpendicular to the first axis of motion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the housing provides planar movement control of the actuator by use of a spirograph. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the spirograph includes a first gear wheel engaged to interior teeth of a second gear wheel, the actuator being coupled to a first perimeter region of the first gear wheel and moving in accord with movement of the first gear wheel, wherein the first gear wheel is engaged to a first rotary motor at a position off-center from, and within the perimeter of, the first gear wheel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic pattern includes an ideogram representation of the sender of the notification. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic pattern includes a letter, a number, or a geometric shape. 
     
     
         19 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software comprising instructions operable when executed to:
 access a notification to be sent to a user;   determine a haptic pattern associated with the notification based at least on a sender of the notification; and   send the notification to a first haptic-enabled delivery channel for a delivery of the notification using haptic stimulation to the user's skin, wherein the applied haptic stimulation corresponds to the determined haptic pattern.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
 access a notification to be sent to a user;   determine a haptic pattern associated with the notification based at least on a sender of the notification; and   send the notification to a first haptic-enabled delivery channel for a delivery of the notification using haptic stimulation to the user's skin, wherein the applied haptic stimulation corresponds to the determined haptic pattern.