December 4, 2024
Tactus Shows Off Real Physical Keyboard That Rises Out of Touchscreens [Video]

Tactus Shows Off Real Physical Keyboard That Rises Out of Touchscreens [Video]

Posted June 5, 2012 at 3:07pm by iClarified
Tactus is showcasing its next generation technology that enables real physical buttons and shapes to rise out of the surface of any touchscreen.

The company announced today the first public demonstration of its patented Tactile Layer component, which provides a next-generation haptic user interface with real physical buttons, guidelines, or shapes that rise out of the surface (and recede to invisibility) from any touchscreen.

Tactus was selected by the Society for Information Display (SID) to showcase in the I-Zone at Display Week 2012, a reserved area highlighting the newest and most innovative display technologies. Tactus has also been selected as a top 10 finalist in the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Eureka Park Challenge at CE Week (New York City). Held in partnership with the National Science Foundation and scheduled for the end of June, this event recognizes startups with the most innovative and unique technologies.


The Tactus Tactile Layer panel is the world's first deformable tactile surface that creates dynamic physical buttons that users can actually see and feel in advance of entering data into the device. Tactus uses innovative microfluidic technology to create physical buttons that rise from the touchscreen to give users the experience of operating a physical keyboard. When no longer needed, the buttons recede back into the touchscreen, leaving no trace of their presence.

The Tactile Layer panel is a completely flat, transparent, dynamic surface that adds no extra thickness to the standard touchscreen display since it replaces a layer of the already existing display stack. Tactus enables manufacturers to create devices with entirely new ergonomics and form factors, since the screen and the keyboard can now be combined.

When triggered, the thin layer deforms and buttons or shapes of a specific height, size and firmness appear on the surface of the screen. Users can feel, press down and interact with these physical buttons just like they would use keys on a keyboard. The buttons recede into the surface and become invisible when they are no longer needed.

Check out the video below to see the surface in action on an iPhone and tablet.



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Comments (13)
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twizatch
twizatch - May 6, 2013 at 3:41pm
1st EVER prototype created by Tactus and displayed at CES (running Android BTW).... So apple issues blanket patents on future tech that others are developing (and apple is not developing). and then claim that it was stolen from them. What a sad company they have become.
Nitro Junkie
Nitro Junkie - May 6, 2013 at 4:36pm
How do you know apple isn't developing or doesn't already have something like that??? You don't. They keep what they're working on a secret for a reason.
Sabtain
Sabtain - June 6, 2012 at 3:16am
Apple will probably use this
NoGoodNick
NoGoodNick - June 5, 2012 at 3:35pm
Video, I don't see no stinking video! But that aside, Apple has been talking about a similiar technology in the past (rumor mill, at least). The idea is the display raises up tiny 'dots' that allow you to physically feel the keyboard. I think it'll take a LOT more testing to find out if this is really functional or not, or what it'll mean to the price of the device, so I wouldn't expect to see it being used any time soon, but it's an interesting concept.
Axe
Axe - June 5, 2012 at 3:30pm
Sweeeeeeeeet!!!!
YEAH
YEAH - June 6, 2012 at 2:39pm
yeah... thats what you're mom said last night...
Uhhhhh
Uhhhhh - June 5, 2012 at 3:27pm
Fukkk yeahhhh!!!
joyz
joyz - June 5, 2012 at 3:18pm
Apple you seriously need to bUy this company before the samshit gooks or google does!! Instead of giving away your billions it should be spent buying companies like this
Nitro Junkie
Nitro Junkie - June 5, 2012 at 5:15pm
Didn't apple file a patent for something like this? It would be good use of their money to buy this company.
joyz
joyz - June 6, 2012 at 6:04am
Possibly but thats the thing with patents no one seems to know If such patent will be implemented
Ron
Ron - June 7, 2012 at 3:06am
Uh... Apple does buy companies like this--unless they already have a patent on it. Then they just enforce their existing patent.
joyz
joyz - June 7, 2012 at 2:56pm
I said they need to buy THIS company not similar ones...
Francisco Santis
Francisco Santis - June 29, 2012 at 12:43am
I believe that Apple will include this technology in their iPhone 5. Alot of people may not know this, but "Siri" was a program bought by Apple. Because this is such a game changer in how we operate tech devices, I'm pretty sure Apple will beat Samsung to the punch with this technology. Hell, it be nice if I could use that tech now, rather than watch what I type on my iPad....
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