# how does my cell phone vibrate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 8, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769 "2004-12-08T17:05:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vinniepaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@vinniepaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vinniepaz)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/1 "2004-12-08T17:05:13Z")
what is the mechanism inside a cell phone that vibrates it? thanks ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/2 "2004-12-08T17:08:57Z")
Angry wasps. NEVER open the case to your cellphone. I’m just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/3 "2004-12-08T17:11:16Z")
It’s a little tiny motor with an eccentric weight on the shaft. The off-balance weight causes the vibration when the motor spins. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/4 "2004-12-08T17:11:23Z")
Your cheaper phones may use angry wasps. The better phones use a small motor with an off center weight. This vibrates when the motor is running. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/5 "2004-12-08T17:12:19Z")
Or possibly a motor with an offset wheel that spins rapidly, causing a side-to-side vibration. But I still wouldn’t open the case, just in case it really is angry wasps. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/6 "2004-12-08T17:17:41Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > …causing a side-to-side vibration. Not quite side-to-side. In fact, the type of motion induced is, ironically, called _gyration_. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/7 "2004-12-08T17:19:10Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Your cheaper phones may use angry wasps. The better phones use a small motor with an off center weight It is easy to tell the difference. A wasp phone will make a buzzing sound when it rings. An off centre weight phone will make an heavier note. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/8 "2004-12-08T17:22:45Z")
Ina ny case, it seems most phones these days are full of angry MIDI musicians. VERY angry MIDI musicians. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/9 "2004-12-08T17:22:49Z")
Anyone else here carry their cell phone (set on vibrate) in their shirt pocket right over their pierced nipple? No? Oh, uh…me neither. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SpaceCop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@SpaceCop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceCop)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/10 "2004-12-09T06:17:18Z")
So the gyrations of the eccentric weight angers the wasps, causing the phone to vibrate? Or what? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/11 "2004-12-09T06:54:41Z")
For some it doesn’t matter if you never open the case. You will still get stung when you open up the bill. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/12 "2004-12-09T07:02:01Z")
Some pictures [here](http://www.73.com/a/0185.shtml). The motors, not the wasps. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/13 "2004-12-09T07:56:01Z")
Video game controllers use the same technology. If you have a translucent PS2 controller, you can see the weights and motors inside - one side has a smaller weight for light vibration, and the other has a bigger weight for powerful rumbling. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/14 "2004-12-09T14:17:27Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Some pictures [here](http://www.73.com/a/0185.shtml). The motors, not the wasps. A warning that the link went to a place called “VIBRATORS - MOTORS” and thus maybe NSFW might be warranted. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/15 "2004-12-09T18:24:48Z")
Not wasps… [HomerSimpson] BEES! [/HomerSimpson] ---
**Author:** ![KP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KP)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-my-cell-phone-vibrate/278769/16 "2004-12-09T23:05:48Z")
So… On phone ring, do the angry wasps All gyre and gymbal in the case? All whimsy are the Straight Dopers who fear their phones uncased. Beware the jabber-talk, my son…