Projection Keyboards See the Light
Canesta has begun to take the wraps off of its electronic perception technology. One of the first applications that made possible is a projected virtual keyboard that can be integrated into mobile devices such as PDA's and smartphones. The comany expects products to incorporate the virtual keyboard chipset by next year.
The chipset, when integrated into cell phones, PDA’s or other mobile devices, enables such devices to project the image of a keyboard on a nearby flat surface, and then read the finger movements of a user who types on that image, as if it were a physical, full-sized keyboard. Canesta’s electronic perception technology resolves the user’s finger movements in real time into keystrokes electronically provided to the device.
According to details on News.com, the chipset consists of three basic parts: a light source that beams a blanket of infrared energy onto a surface, a sensor that tracks finger movements, and a pattern projector that displays an image of a QWERTY keyboard in red. The sensor, the key part of the equation, pinpoints where the light is reflected. It then transmits data about where reflective surfaces (the back of your fingers) move and stop. The processor then translates this into keystrokes.
Canesta is demonstrating the technology at the SIGGRAPH 2003 Conference In San Diego, CA. Two other companies, VKB and Virtual Devices are also working on similar technology.
Thanks to Steve B. for the tip.
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RE: imagine the possibilities
-Richard "Raptor" Powell
"Nice guys may finish last, but you know, the company's much better back here."
I can just see this thing getting kinky
neat, but i'll wait for the bluetooth
RE: neat, but i'll wait for the bluetooth
Need to take notes? Bring the keyboard.
I'm surprised one hasn't appeared yet. Interface directly w/phones too if you're a big SMS user.
RE: neat, but i'll wait for the bluetooth
http://www.brighthand.com/article/Dawn_of_Bluetooth_Keyboards
Cheers,
RE: neat, but i'll wait for the bluetooth
http://www.flexis.co.kr/web/main.htm
Visit http://goodthatway.com/
-better living through better technology.
RE: neat, but i'll wait for the bluetooth
RE: neat, but i'll wait for the bluetooth
I was thinking of BT in the folding Palm-rebranded keyboards (hey, no one is ever satisfied on these forums!). I like the folded form-factor (the thin or thick one) and the key action, and would like dragging it around without a Palm balanced on its middle.
Which has now got me thinking about the utility of a BT module that fits onto a Universal Connector - the accessory side, emulating a PDA to the accessory. Hmmm...
Color me skeptical.
I wish them luck, but if it were my money invested I'd have them as a short.
:-/
hello projection keyboard and bye bye battery life
Anyway it's gonna be awkward to type into nothing at all. No tactile feedback?
_______________________________________
Already a Tapwave's Helix fan.
RE: hello projection keyboard and bye bye battery life
I'll consider this technology in 2010.
RE: hello projection keyboard and bye bye battery life
Palm really needs to fix this driver...
RE: hello projection keyboard and bye bye battery life
Don't sell it short yet.
Right now I am more than happy with my Stowaway, but when it becomes integrated, I'll more than consider it...
RE: Don't sell it short yet.
RE: Don't sell it short yet.
_____________________________________
Ready to escape the "9 to 5" grind?!
http://www.EscapeTheGrind.com
RE: Will it work under the sunlight?
A Palm in one hand is worth 2 Pocket PC Bricks
: )
-Steve
RE: Will it work under the sunlight?
It will probably function, but, you still probably wont be able to see the keys, good, if you can toutch-type : )
The basis of touch-typing is that one feels the keys.
If you feel like you're under control, you're just not going fast enough.
A solution looking for a problem
The technology OEM will get some of their research money back, a PPC house will get a month or so of press, there will be a bump in sales, a watershed of returns and then all will be forgotten six months later.
The genertic term for this stuff is "Optical Semantic Tracking" and has been a Media Lab plaything since the 80s. While the knee jerk reaction is to put this in a space where you can't put in a full keyboard, this will be more successful as a keyboard enhacer and not a replacement.
I see something like this being successful in user interface enviroments where desktop PCs and laptops would benefit avoiding having keys silkscreened. Using this scanner in s laptop allows the elemination of silkscreened keys, the electronics in the keyboard. Most of all, the projected key labels can now change via the software application. That is a termendious enhancement in keyboards!
And to the product manager at Canesta who is reading this, be happy I'm not billing you for this advise.
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imagine the possibilities