End Effector

The physical component of a haptic device that the user directly touches or manipulates to interact with a virtual environment. In assistive technology contexts, end effectors translate digital information into tactile sensations — the device applies forces, vibrations, or guided movements to the end effector so the user can feel virtual objects or navigate digital content through touch. Single end effector haptic devices are commonly used in accessible 3D modeling and virtual exploration because they are affordable and provide meaningful tactile feedback for blind and visually impaired users.