The vibration technology in Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers is called HD Rumble.
Nintendo used the name to describe the controllers’ high-definition haptic feedback, which can communicate different intensities and sensations rather than producing only a simple buzz. Nintendo demonstrated the idea during the Switch presentation with a Joy-Con simulating ice cubes moving inside a glass.
HD Rumble appears in games such as 1-2-Switch and Super Mario Odyssey, although the exact effect depends on software support. It is separate from motion sensing, infrared detection, and the controllers’ gyroscope and accelerometer functions. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller also supports HD Rumble, so the term is not limited exclusively to detachable Joy-Con units.