Customizing Haptic Buzzes via Morse Code

By liquidbrain | Published: September 30, 2026

I spent too much time procrastinating on a proper long-form entry for September, so instead, I've put together this brief update.

The Notification Dilemma

I frequently keep my phone in my pocket with notifications enabled. While I have a specific vibration pattern for text messages that allows me to distinguish them from other alerts, I've historically lacked a way to tell who is messaging me without looking at the screen.

From a data perspective, text messages have the highest signal-to-noise ratio of all my notifications. Most are direct messages from colleagues or friends. However, the probability that a specific text is immediately relevant to my current task is relatively low:

$P(\text{relevance}) \approx 0.40$

This creates a psychological conflict: I either have to pull my phone out to check, or I spend my mental energy wondering who it is (especially since I love unexpected messages, which makes the distraction even stronger). While I typically disable notifications to maintain focus, there are windows of time where I am awaiting a critical response that requires a fast turnaround.

The Goal: A method to identify the sender of a text via haptics alone to determine if the message is relevant before interrupting my flow.

The Solution: Morse Code Haptics

Since iPhones allow for custom vibration patterns per contact, I decided to systematize this. I created unique haptic tones for approximately 25 people based on the Morse Code of their initials.

The Implementation Process

I wanted an automated solution, but since that wasn't feasible, I performed the setup manually.

Workflow Diagram

Step-by-Step Execution

• Identify the priority list of friends/colleagues.
• Navigate to Settings $\rightarrow$ Sounds $\rightarrow$ Haptics $\rightarrow$ Text Tone Haptics $\rightarrow$ Create New Vibration.
• Record the specific buzz sequence.
• Label the vibration with the person's initials.
• Assign the pattern to the individual contact via the Edit menu.

Note: I chose to record all vibrations from the centralized Settings menu rather than within individual contact cards, as it allows for faster switching and a more streamlined workflow.

Tooling and Efficiency

To ensure accuracy, I used an AI tool (Claude) to build a small utility. I could click a set of initials, and the tool would play the corresponding Morse beats.

// Conceptual logic for the Morse beat artifact
const morseMap = { 'A': '.-', 'B': '-...', 'C': '-.-.' };
function playBeats(initials) {
  initials.split('').forEach(char => {
    const pattern = morseMap[char];
    // Trigger audio/haptic beats based on dots and dashes
  });
}

Most patterns took between 1 and 5 attempts to record perfectly, making the overall process surprisingly tolerable.

Summary of Setup

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📢 Note to Friends

If you need to reach me with absolute urgency, please call me.

My device is configured so that phone calls bypass "Do Not Disturb" mode. If I am unable to answer, please leave a voicemail or send a text explaining the urgency.

• Social calls: I love them! Just let me know that's what it is.
• Text-only: Be aware that if you only text, I might not see the message for a significant amount of time.

(This applies even if you have a personal distaste for talking on the phone!)