A Touch Screen With Morphing Buttons 160
Al writes "Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have created a touch screen that can also produce physical buttons. Graduate student Chris Harrison and professor Scott Hudson use a projector and infrared sensor below the screen to illuminate it and make it touch-sensitive, and the physical buttons are created using air pumps below the surface. They say this type of screen could be particularly useful when a simple, flat touch-screen is too distracting, for example in a vehicle dashboard."
Full of hot air (Score:5, Insightful)
new tech (Score:1, Insightful)
More distractions. (Score:5, Insightful)
They say this type of screen could be particularly useful when a simple, flat touch-screen is too distracting, for example in a vehicle dashboard.
I know we are obsessed with multitasking more and more, but no. Almost every automobile "accident" is caused by one or more people simply not paying attention, and I don't think we need to give them even more stuff to play with while driving.
If a touch screen is going to be too distracting for some situation, then mighty morphin power buttons are not the answer. The answer is wait until you are done with whatever you are doing, then use them.
Re:Full of hot air (Score:3, Insightful)
To me its just another component to fail, and touchscreens have enough problems already. Is it cool enough to really rate the extra maintenance? Just get used to no buttons.
Re:Accessibility.... (Score:4, Insightful)
Ah, sometimes it's hard to moderate comments. Having driven in Ireland, I've no idea whether this is "funny", "informative" or "insightful". We need more options really... and probably more opticians too.
Re:This fixes touchscreens (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Nokia is doing it better (Score:3, Insightful)
And I'm never purchasing a phone that doesn't have a touchscreen on it for when the physical buttons break down.
Yes, touchscreens have durability issues to be worked out, but I still firmly believe that in the long run, fewer moving parts == better.
Re:Interactive porn in... (Score:3, Insightful)
Unless you just buy it.
ITYM rent as opposed to lease... unless you really meant slavery.
Re:This fixes touchscreens (Score:3, Insightful)
You know what else fixes touchscreens?
Real buttons.