Extending the Touchscreen with Physical Objects (Video)

[MacRumors]

http://vimeo.com/23507405

Interactive Art and Technology student Mike Knuepfel has posted a teaser video for his thesis which asks if there are new ways that we can use the touchscreen to interface with tangible objects:

Touchscreens like those found on smartphones and tablets have enabled a new generation of versatile user interfaces. My thesis project, Extending the Touchscreen, aims to further this versatility by using conductive materials to construct a series of physical, mechanical, and electrical devices that touch, interact and communicate directly through the touchscreen interface. My goal in constructing these external devices is to make touchscreen interactions more tactile, physical and potentially more expressive and fun.

The video shows seven different objects which interact with the iPad in interesting ways. In particular, there are two pressure-sensitive styluses using different techniques. One takes advantage of multi-touch by extending a second touch stylus and using the distance between the two to measure pressure. The second uses audio feedback to determine pressure.




At least one similar concept has already been brought to market. Ten One Design's fling is a simplistic touch-sensitive joystick that attaches to an iPad's screen. I'm sure we'll see more of these types of products as the popularity of touch screens continues to grow.

[via Creative Applications]

Article Link: Extending the Touchscreen with Physical Objects (Video)

[bizzaregood]

very cool. Like to see more of this

[wad11656]

EPIC

Can't wait to see more as well!

Had no idea there were so many possibilities with using the touch screen to interact with other physical objects...!

[Popeye206]

The music made it seem there was some other touch screen physical interaction going on that they weren't showing us!

[ArtOfWarfare]

I fail to see many practical applications...

[guzhogi]

I really wish the iPad came with a stylus and also was pressure sensitive. This would have big benefits with handwriting and art apps. Just my 2¢

[ciTiger]

It is a nice start but there is still a long way to go! The joystick is handy for a couple of games on the iPad!!

[nagromme]

Some fun and creative experiments, worth doing whether they all end up leading to products or not.

For a stylus, the ideal solution (which I’m sure someone will get around to) would be a pressure sensor in the pen, transmitting via bluetooth to those paint apps that choose to support it. (The remaining apps would support the stylus passively like any other.) Of course, out current capacitive touchscreens are never going to have a Wacom feel, because a hard, precise point doesn’t work with them. In fact, even the smaller soft styluses work less well, requiring a harder press, than the fatter ones. I like my fat Boxwave for drawing, all the same!)

[42streetsdown]

has anyone tried making a bluetooth stylus with the pressure sensitivity in the pen and have it transmit that data over bluetooth? Because it seems like that's what he's doing with the audio cable

[Adey]

Originally Posted by ArtOfWarfare

I fail to see many practical applications...

Which kind of reminds me of:

http://www.windows7news.com/2010/01/...-7-to-succeed/

God bless the visionaries.

[Merthyrboy]

There are some cool things in that video and it's very unlikely that apple will supply us with a stylus but for third party companies the pressure sensor and stuff can open up a load more opportunities.

[caspersoong]

I was looking at the iPad shell instead of the stylus or iPad screen during the whole video.