Apple takes the 'touch' out of multitouch

If you're intrigued by multitouch technology as much as I am, you've probably been following it pretty closely and are at least impressed by its potential.

But what could it do better? According to Apple, taking the "touch" out of multitouch would be a good first step.

According to an article on AppleInsider, Apple has issued a 30-page patent that touches on the implementation of proximity sensors into its multitouch technology on devices larger than the iPhone.

The potential innards of a multitouch panel with proximity sensors don't do much for me, but robots may feel differently.

(Credit: Apple)

The multitouch sensors combined with proximity sensors would let users interact with the given interface without actually having to touch the screen. Now, this seems a tad ridiculous to me, and is anyone really too lazy to move their finger an extra inch? Yeah they are, but that doesn't make it a good idea.

Apple sees some different applications for the technology. According to the company, users would have the capability to turn off the entire touch-screen panel, or just portions of it. In addition, users would able to power down one or more of the computer's systems by dimming or brightening the screen as they see fit.

Awesome, huh?! Alas, no. OK, I may be missing something, but why would you need a proximity sensor to do this? You could just move your finger another inch and accomplish the same thing. The only unique feature Apple cited from the filing was the idea that you could highlight virtual buttons on a display without touching them. This could prepare the button for actually being pushed. Again, how is this useful?

I may be shortsighted (probably am) but the only advantage I can see for this technology is that you wouldn't have to worry about scratching or smudging your screen anymore.

In the filing, Apple reportedly states that the proximity sensors could be made of infrared transmitters and IR receivers. It speculates that a grid of IR receivers could be placed on the panel behind the touch screen like the ones found in the latest iMacs and MacBooks.

Each sensor would be able to detect the presence or absence of an object within its vicinity. Using the data received from multiple receivers, it could then be used to determine the positioning of an object above the panel.

AppleInsider quoted the filing as saying: "The transmitters and receivers can be positioned in a single layer, or on different layers. In some embodiments, the proximity panel is provided in combination with a display. The display can be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode display (OLED display). Other types of displays can also be used. The IR transmitters and receivers can be positioned at the same layer as the electronic elements of the display (e.g., the LEDs of an OLED display or the pixel cells of an LCD display). Alternatively, the IR transmitters and receivers can be placed at different layers."

OK, so now I know how it works. Still not sold on how useful being able to interact with the panel an inch above it is useful. Unless the proximity can sense movement much more than an inch.

Maybe this is just some Apple engineering geek's fantasy about starting us down the road that would eventually lead to a Minority Report-like interface? OK, I've used that link before, but I'm still impressed by it.

[Sniche]

iIt would a great assistance in typing, by enlarging the figure before the actual touch, this would decrease the error factor a big help for large fingered people.

[sehk]

"The only unique feature Apple cited from the filing was the idea that you could highlight virtual buttons on a display without touching them. This could prepare the button for actually being pushed. Again, how is this useful?"

This is useful because it allows you to implement the "on mouseover" or "hover" type of states that are currently missing in touch screen interfaces. For example, it allows a user to hover over a link to get more information before actually clicking (touching), such as with tool tips.

[Huskisson]

3d manipulation of the interface? With proximity sensors, could you not expand the recognizable motion from two-dimensional, lateral movements to include another axis? Sounds like a decent idea to me, but I'm no expert.

[mri_cnet]

This would work perfectly with hologram technology (think Iron Man where Tony Stark is manipulating his suit and spinning it and throwing parts in the trash). Apple is an innovator, this HAS to be the first step toward 3d holographic computing (finally). BRILLIANT!

[Shaun822]

I was thinking the same thing as mri_cnet. Using proximity sensors would be incredibly helpful to mechanical engineers and other like minded applications for creating a holographic interface, in addition to not smudgin up a screen and decreasing its accuracy with fingerprints.

[tm_anon]

Finally, somebody else sees exactly what I've been trying to point out. There's already projected Holographic technology, but we could never touch it before. With this, we can.
http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/18572/page2/

[ikramerica--2008]

Fingerprints. Full size touch screen displays stink because they get covered in human grease. Not touching the display means no such problems. And allows for a protective screen to be placed in front of the display as well for kiosks, etc.

As for the "hover" state, this is something the new Blackberry has, because you must push the screen to click it, so just touching the screen creates a mouseover state. Apple could implement this on the iPhone via the hover state, without having to have the flimsy feeling mushy click screen of the blackberry.

[getwired]

Exactly. Eric missed the point. "Digital" manipulation, without fingerprints on the screen. I'd LOVE to have this on my iMac or MBP!

[man_w_balls]

sounds badass

[ghosford]

Exactly! People will buy for the "cool factor," whether or not it is useful.

However, as other posters have pointed out, it could be useful in several areas, not the least of which is a step toward extending the proximity sensors beyond an inch from the screen - learning how people can use non-touch technology while developing superior technology.

[tm_anon]

Of course, the same technology could eventually be ramped up once the ability to project images a certain distance into the air has been developed and create a huge variety of new technologies, among those being an interface such as the Minority Report interface. Programming variables using the two technologies could eventually allow for training simulations for soldiers, letting a computer opponent dodge and weave, this type of technology could be introduced into gaming, letting finger movements finally work within the game in a realistic manner. At the very least, this is a great first step to an eventual star trek type holographic simulation, physicists have been working on force field technology using cold plasma for a while now. Combine the three and just see what happens.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Yawn...MSFT Surface technology is already built into Windows 7.

[tm_anon]

Does the surface technology work without touching the surface?

[tm_anon]

http://blog.gadgetlite.com/2008/05/30/microsoft-surface-multi-touch-technology-enhances/
There's a link to MSFT about Windows 7, involving multitouch. Guess what you have to do to get it to work. No answer? You have to touch the surface. Multitouch is a step up from a touch screen maybe, but when you're talking multitouch vs. no touch, no touch wins easily. Opens up the door to technologies long dreamed of, especially when in conjuction to other technologies.

[Mark_Anderson]

True.

Which is why Nokia have been workign on this for some time.

[rghitch]

This would also allow you to control a touch interface with gloves; a big problem for iphone users in northern climates.

[lj51]

How about being able to stand (or sit) several feet away from a screen that is larger than your wingspan? It'd be pretty cool to be able to navigate around that screen, send the screen scrolling by, etc., just by waiving your arms at it!

[tm_anon]

http://e-strategyblog.com/2008/05/windows-7-to-include-microsoft-surface-technology/

Second paragraph, first sentence. "Ultimately, I think the future of computer interaction will include some kind of motion-capture technology so we need only use our natural gestures to manipulate technology, doing away with the input device altogether."
In other words, apple is working on what the future of computer interaction will be with this particular technology.

[Auquarios]

A bunch of people trying to figure out how a new technology fits existing applications...

[tm_anon]

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/18572/page1/

Put the technology being developed by MIT together with the technology being developed by Apple and it's a new computer revolution. One step left before we won't even need a display anymore.

[tm_anon]

Not how it fits existing applications so much as figuring out how far behind existing applications will soon be.

[underbrink]

Sounds promising. An interface that detects proximity gives you more options to control the software without complicating the user interface. A device that reacts differently to hover than to a touch is like having a mouse with more buttons.

[captaindigital]

As a user interface designer, this could solve one big problem with a phone U/I - the difference between browsing and clicking. It would be easy to differentiate between dragging a cursor over or across a button and clicking on the button. That alone would make this worth the price of admission.

[docster87]

would help not smear up screen with fingerprints when launching a movie to watch ;)

[shinji257]

This is also useful for those of us that have cases around our iPhone (to prevent scratching). The problem is that most of the cases tend to reduce the touch sensitivity which is why I never bothered to get one.

[haglerbl]

How about multitouch even if you have gloves on.