Although the large displays on new smart phones look great, some still miss the feel of physical buttons. The California company, Tactus, has developed the first dynamically deformable touch screen that could change our device interface forever.
Earlier in June, the company demonstrated their new touch screen technology at the Society for Information Display conference in Boston. Tactus has created a “microfluidic” screen, which flows a special type of oil through predetermined channels to fill pockets, which rise to become buttons over a flat display. The buttons then disappear when not needed. Tactus claims this technology can work with most current touch screens.
The device called the, “Tactile Layer” adds valuable haptic feedback to any flat surface interface. The company hopes to integrate this layer into all sorts of devices like cell phones, tablets, televisions, GPS devices, gaming devices and remote controls but also in automotive displays, industrial controls, and medical devices where quick and easy operation is crucial.
The Tactile Layer adds minute thickness to any device and requires very little additional power to function. The system only needs the power to raise and lower the keys. After which the position remain static, no additional power needed.
At the moment, the Touch Layer can be improved upon. As mentioned, button layout and shape must be predetermined and, although the device is mostly transparent, the outline of buttons is still somewhat visible. Also, the interface currently offers no physical feedback after actually pressing buttons. It is a step in the right development direction.
The company plans to develop better versions that would help not only aesthetics but also functionality. The display offers customizable pressure of fluid in the buttons, but the company wants to use buttons as variant pressure sensors that would unleash more applications. Tactus says they are working to create more physical feedback and more complex channel patters to allow as many button layout possibilities for developers.
This futuristic display will be released in the not-so-distant future. Expect to see the Tactile Layer in devices next year.
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