Specifically “Powerful vibrator. Or call it a haptic feedback engine if you want”
I don’t think this should be considered niche so much as an accessibility feature. I know some trackpads have had haptics, but as far as I know they were never used for notifications like a smart phone does. This would be useful for both unsighted folks and those who need to work in quiet environments (I work early mornings sometimes and don’t want to wake the fam).
I’ve recently seen a few modules that are dual function. So maybe USB and vibrate? Additionally, you could select how strong the vibe is by how many of your modules you replace with vibrate capable ones.
Just to note, there are different haptic feedback devices. Beyond just a powerful vibrator motor.
The most basic haptic feedback device, commonly called just a vibrator, is a ERM (Eccentric Rotating Mass), a motor with an off-center weight. It creates just a basic rumble, or series of rumbles. Simple mobile phones or smartphones just use these. Whereas Mid-range and high-end smartphones use more advanced haptic feedback devices. They are faster to respond, restrict their force to particular directions, and are more able to create sensations beyond that of an ERM.
If someone wants to make a haptic feedback expansion card, I hope they can use something more than a ERM vibrator motor. There are open source libraries to run a LRA (Linear Resonant Actuator) with a DRV2605L or DA7280 haptic driver. QMK, the firmware on the FWL16 keyboards, can run them too github qmk features/haptic_feedback.
Apple’s Taptic Engine is some form of that.
A ERM is like, year 2008. Your average phone rumble. Since it take time to spin it up and down, short pulses often feel very lackluster.
Whereas a Linear Resonance Actuator, a block of metal (weight) being driven directly by coils, have faster acceleration. And tune-able frequency, and amplitude.
Apple’s trackpad use those. Same as the more modern phones. You can produce noticeable “click” by, for example, moving the block of metal rapidly back and forth once, akin to a real switch.
Now. on something as heavy as Framework Laptop (13, or even 16), I dont know the utility of such a rumble, especially when placed on desk.
Said module might also cause more wear and tear to the sliders for the expansion module, though it will be kind of interesting to see.
Maybe have a $5 ERM and a 3D printed enclosure as a test