Abstract: A haptic output device is associated with a computer or other text reading device. The haptic device is controlled by the computer to react to a users finger position to provide a reaction force which defines characters (for example using Moon alphabet representation by stimulating grooves or ridges on a virtual plane. Feelable texture may be added to standard characters whereby the characters (or other non-standard characters) may be used as short handrepresentration for particular user-selectable words or phrases.