HAPTIC.SKIN — API Reference
Developer documentation for HAPTIC.SKIN, an open-source haptic navigation wearable: a neck-worn band of 8 vibration motors that points you toward your destination.
This site documents the three programmable surfaces of the system — not the project itself (for the project, hardware and BOM, see the GitHub repository).
| Surface | What it is | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Python API | The haptic_skin package — drive the necklace, run patterns, parse routes. The high-level entry point for applications. | Python API |
| Firmware API | The Rust + Embassy firmware running on the Pico (RP2040): motor driver, protocol parser, power guard. | Firmware API |
| Serial protocol | The binary wire protocol between host and device over USB CDC-ACM. | Serial protocol |
One-liner
from haptic_skin import haptic
haptic("turn_left", 0.8) # buzz the left motor at 80 %
By default the package talks to a built-in simulator, so you can develop with no
hardware attached. Set HAPTIC_SKIN_PORT=/dev/ttyACM0 to drive a real Pico.
Architecture
flowchart LR
APP["Your app\n(Python)"] --> PKG["haptic_skin\n(necklace, patterns, nav)"]
PKG -->|"binary frames\nUSB CDC-ACM"| FW["Pico firmware\n(Rust + Embassy)"]
FW -->|"8× PWM"| M["8× ERM motors"]
License
Code is MIT, documentation CC BY-SA 4.0, hardware CERN-OHL-P v2 — see Licensing.