Comments on: Apple takes the 'touch' out of multitouch

According to AppleInsider, Apple has issued a 30-page filing for implementing proximity sensors into its multitouch technology on devices larger than the iPhone.

[Brian]

Sounds like Apple copying Nintendo again.

While I have never touched a Nintendo Wii myself, this is very interesting.

When the iPod Touch came out, everyone knew Apple copied off of the Nintendo DS, so that's all they do, copy others (Sounds allot like Microsoft - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em).

[professionaladventurer]

Yup up here in AK I have to take my gloves off to use my iPhone. Which is really hard while driving!

[citrusonic]

yup thats ruffness, they must have a mean surface

[Robert G K]

MS was going to make a no touch menu system for the Xbox 360 using a camera. Not sure if they're still working on it but I heard about it about 6 months ago.

[canberra_photographer]

Apple likes glossy touch surfaces and we hate the resulting fingerprints. Hence, this gets rid of the fingerprints while allowing touch functions.

[Peet42]

Have you ever tried cleaning pizza smears off a flat-screen? Particularly one that you have to turn off first else you'll be interacting with the underlying GUI? Apple's idea sounds like a good one to me.

[coryschulz]

If you have a touch screen with a virtual keyboard they could make it so the keyboard disappears when your hands aren't in front of the screen so that you can use the entire screen for watching a movie, surfing the web, or looking at photos. Then when your hands approach the screen the keyboard or menu could magically appear so you could type something or change something. This type of technology might not sound very powerful, but with the right implementation, and combined with other technologies, it's a very powerful feature that could end up completely defining how we use and think about computers.

[man290663]

This does NOT add much other than the ability to 'touch the screen with gloves' when you think in 2 dimensions.....

But if we expand this to 3 dimensions as the patent does NOT limit it to 2D the this prepares the way for 3 dimensional displays (already being made) and 3 dimensions controls and inputs from a flat panel..

Looking beyond the obvious this can be a very significant patent giving apple the rights to 3D computing...

[assman]

There are all sorts of wacky Apple patents that have been published.. most of them will likely never see fruition. Apple isn't the only one working on this type of technology though. I think the tech could be useful when used in conjunction with touch-screen tech.

[jmcintire]

The unseen potential of proximity sensors: 3D multitouch

[Thomas, David]

What you simply missed, and I suspect some of the commenters DID pick up on.

This technology (yes, this one is real tech, v.s. some method being called tech), would allow true virtual screens. In addition, the application of proximity sensors would make the "surface" indeterminable, and allow the display to be merely a projection with no physical form.

Is this not a valid point for using proximity sensors?

[Thomas, David]

However, I am very pleased you uncovered this gem. Good work!!!

[tm_anon]

it goes a bit past virtual screens. with this type of technology, you could create a virtual world. add in a couple other technologies and you could "touch" the virtual objects physically. I've listed the sites on other posts, just betting nobody else has picked up on them or they just aren't very bright.

[sroussey]

I have an HP touchsmart and I can tell you it would be nice to be able to move the cursor around without also clicking. Touch to click. Touch and drag to drag. Hover to move the mouse.

Here is maybe what they are starting to move toward. This is the technology that can lead to this.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/johnny_lee_demos_wii_remote_hacks.html

[tm_anon]

How about taking to the next level and eliminating the entire need for a physical interface?
http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/18572/page2/
http://cybershack.com/t.php/New+forcefield+technology+will+blow+your+mind

Take those two, add in the touchless aspect Apple's going for ramped up by a couple feet and you have a virtual computer that you can interact with physically. Ramp all the technologies up into, idk, a giant room? Yeah, Star Trek fans eat your heart out.

[SolGelos]

This is exactly the issue raised by David Pogue in his article about the Storm's click feature in the touch screen - he referred to it as a programmming waste!
Since Apple have been working a good deal of time and can take the iphone to its third generation any time soon, in my understanding, this is their answer to Mr. Pogue's comment about getting the most about highlighting a certain section of the screen and actually using it for something else.

[bignumone]

Reading the comments on this page I would conclude that indeed you are as short sighted as you wondered.

[tm_anon]

completely agreed

[GeauxTigers711]

I think most people have missed the connection with recent design to the Macbook and this patent. This would allow you to touch a "false" screen. Such an example would be the glass used over the screens on the new laptop line. That may provide the ability to keep the glass to strengthen and protect the screen. Otherwise, I see now way of making these stronger screens "touchable."

Taking this idea one step further, I am a college student and always use my laptop for everything including notes. This may be able to take the tablet to a virtual notebook. I often find myself taking notes and having a notebook on the side to draw diagrams and figures. This multitouch may be able to recognize my arm resting on the notebook and ignore it as I take notes, just like the new touchpads on the Macbook ignore parts of my hand resting on it. (Just throwing around ideas.)

Long story short, the "touch above the screen" is for use with the new protective screen design that has glass over it.

[tm_anon]

or you could raise your thoughts to a loftier goal of getting rid of the tablet PC altogether. Perhaps even replacing that particular device with a program into a small, multifunctional device that you could clip onto your shirt, which would project a virtual notebook, complete with the ability to draw and write just by moving your finger over it. You could also use this same device to fashion fully realized 3 dimensional objects which you could then interact with for the testing of designs. You could also take this device and plug it in to a larger room, capable of creating fully realized, fully interactionable objects of a larger scale, allowing you to design automobiles in full size without wasting materials. The tech goes far beyond just projecting the touchable surface to a glass screen.

[zhakidd532]

I wonder when Apple will start actually using some of this. It's very intriguing