FAQ

What does the name Syntacts mean?

• The definition for syntax is:

  the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language

  Similarly, Syntacts deals with the arrangement of primitive waveforms to create expressive vibrations and tactile cues.

• The portmanteau of “synthesizer” and “tactor”

Can I use the Syntacts software and/or hardware in my project or research?

• Yes, of course! All software is licensed under the MIT License. All hardware is licensed under the TAPR Open Hardware License.

How can I cite Syntacts in my research?

• You can cite our Transactions on Haptics paper:

@ARTICLE{pezent2020_syntacts,
  author={E. Pezent and B. Cambio and M. K. {O'Malley}},
  journal={IEEE Transactions on Haptics}, 
  title={Syntacts: Open-Source Software and Hardware for Audio-Controlled Haptics}, 
  year={2020}
}

Who maintains Syntacts?

• Syntacts is developed and maintained by the Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Lab at Rice University in Houston, TX.

Is there a Syntacts email address?

• info@syntacts.org

How can I get involved?

• The easiest way to get involved is to head over to the GitHub repository. Here, you can submit a new issue or feature request. Better yet, consider submitting a pull request that fixes a problem you found in Syntacts or adds a cool new feature!

Do I need the Syntacts software to use the Syntacts amplifier, and vice versa?

• No, they are independent! You can use the software with your own amplifiers, or our amplifiers with your own software.

Can Syntacts be used for mobile haptic applications?

• Syntacts software is primarily intended for desktop based research and requires an audio device and host PC to function. It may be possible to use a laptop and battery powered audio interface to make your project mobile. Syntacts has not been tested on embedded operating systems, but it may be possible – let us know!
• Syntacts amplifiers can be powered with three AA batteries in series, so they can be integrated with mobile applications easily.

When running Syntacts software, I get a VCRUNTIME140.dll missing message or similar.

• Try installing the latest MSVC redistributable
• Alternatively, install the latest version of Visual Studio.