New FTIR Keyboard and Mouse in Development - Quite Cool!

from JoeUser Forums

Happy Sunday folks!

Through the Windows Club, I found an interesting site (if you like looking at all sorts of new fangled stuff):  Kickstarter.

These are folks looking for investors… no matter (but best of luck to these creators!).

I also found http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1116966310/multi-touch-keyboard-and-mouse?ref=video  the vid there looks larger than on the Windows Club.

 

So what is it? It’s a “high quality, tempered glass keyboard and mouse”. It works on an old principle: “Frustrated total internal reflection” (FTIR).

There are those who remember their high school physics and “total internal reflection” (TIR), which is light being bounced around endlessly in an

object with an interface between the outside and itself which reflects light. Well, FTIR means that altering that reflective surface will cause the TIR to be interrupted.

 

So, when a finger interrupts the FTIR at point “A” (keyboard or mouse), the infra-red light exits from the lower glass surface and is detected by the camera and transmitted

wirelessly to your computer, same as a wireless mouse (laser or not).

 

I think this is cool… cleaner keyboards which are rechargeable and appear pretty sturdy. The parts (IR LED, PCB circuit board) can wear out, and it had better be extremely scratch resistant…. but it’s still cool. Right now, if you wanted both it would cost $350, and it’s not in production.

As of now, there are “deals” for backers… you can check them out, if you want. I am not advocating this as an investment: That’s not the purpose of this article.

The vid is good quality and illustrates it well. The kickstart website is one I’ll be cruising from time to time to bring you stuff that looks good to me.

 

Hope you’re having a great weekend!

54,765 views 26 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

They need to make the glass interface have a changeable display. A great piece of tech, but it is stuck on using an outdated concept, the keyboard and mouse. It does have the potential to get us closer to the future I have been dreaming of. Star Trek is not that far off afterall. 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

A while ago I got a really cheap replacement keyboard, because my other one committed suicide after years of me using it to abuse grammar and spelling. It worked just fine, but after a while, the keys stopped springing back after typing. They still worked quite well, but when typing, I just couldn't feel as if I was pressing the keys. That lead to even more typing horrors. When I got a new keyboard, with keys that actually spring back, and travel a good distance until contact, I was a lot more comfortable. That's why I just can't fathom keyboards with no feedback such as these and the IR projected one.

It looks cool, and from a tech viewpoint it's awesome, but unless they add force feedback to it, I can't picture myself using something like this for work. 

ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hopefully that picture is slightly inaccurate as otherwise there could be issues with key combinations where keys are above each other such as ctrl + escape or shift + tab.  Perhaps the amount of reflection there is only a small percentage of the total light.

I could also see potential issues with people resting their fingers on the tops of keys while thinking and I know I do that a lot with the spacebar.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Well ... if you're into all the high tech gizmos, which I am, when I can that is, you'll want to jump all over stuff like this just for the novelty. Too bad it isn't in production yet. Aside from the issues Neil pointed out I could see me owning a set. And as for ST .... this is far beyond that I think.

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

Typing requires tactile feedback, not to mention the ability to find and rest your fingers on the 'home position' without visual input.  The 'mouse', on the other hand, is a simply a trackpad by other means - would sure look cool on your desk, though.

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just like touchpads, tablets and touch screen PC's...one more thing to clean fingerprints off of. :annoyed:

Not for use while eating BBQ ribs, pizza, chocolate, jelly donuts, potato chips, etc. How would anyone here get any work done? XD

 

*Note to self: Buy stock in paper towels and glass cleaners. :erk:

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Neil, reply 3
Hopefully that picture is slightly inaccurate as otherwise there could be issues with key combinations where keys are above each other such as ctrl + escape or shift + tab.  Perhaps the amount of reflection there is only a small percentage of the total light.

I could also see potential issues with people resting their fingers on the tops of keys while thinking and I know I do that a lot with the spacebar.
End of Neil's quote

Accurately reproduced, Neil. As for the rest, you'd have to ask the dev, I suppose.

@ Daiwa: Odd, but I was thinking the same thing. I suppose a coating like the iPad/iPhone has might do, but I do need the "springy" feeling as well.

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I just love technologie, first there was the IBM folowed by cherry then there was usb keyboards those got replaced by wireless normal keys by back lid keyboards or random colored glowing keyboards - then there was the concept of laser projected virtual keyboards, The famous Optimus Keyboard with LED display keys- now this - i hope i will live long enough to still witness a ( real ) Holographic Keyboard.

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top

Mind-meld keyboard is the ultimate answer. :)

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

tis' entertaining

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I think this is cool…
End of quote

Quoting unacomn, reply 2
It looks cool, and from a tech viewpoint it's awesome, but unless they add force feedback to it, I can't picture myself using something like this for work.
End of unacomn's quote

Quoting Neil, reply 3
I could also see potential issues with people resting their fingers on the tops of keys while thinking and I know I do that a lot with the spacebar.
End of Neil's quote

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 7
I do need the "springy" feeling as well.
End of DrJBHL's quote

Quoting Daiwa, reply 5
The 'mouse', on the other hand, is a simply a trackpad by other means
End of Daiwa's quote

what they all said...

I have to move the mouse Tried a track mouse before took for ever to get anything done, and kept wanting to move the mouse...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

As far as tactile feedback goes, well it's not impossible to have the keyboard vibrate slightly when you touch a key, emulating the sensation of depressing a key.  This is used to good effect on touchscreen phones.  Granted, it's not perfect, but I would be really happy to have a keyboard that doesn't trap food crumbs and dust over time.

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I'd think it would be a long-term ergonomic nightmare - constantly tapping on a solid object, even after you learn to stop "pressing" it.  Plus holding your fingers up constantly trying to avoid stray strokes.

Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting MarvinKosh, reply 12
...  Granted, it's not perfect, but I would be really happy to have a keyboard that doesn't trap food crumbs and dust over time.
End of MarvinKosh's quote

And how. The keyboard's not an outdated concept until someone comes up with a better way to lay down text far faster than you could speak it,  without resorting to regressive ergonomics like thumbing all your text.

Those things are pretty, and look fairly easy to keep gunk-free, but they won't be a decent keyboard analog until they get some texture. Better yet, some plastic texture--something you could flex around a bit until it was a really nice fit for the size of your hands and your typical typing posture.

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

And (so far) keyboards are flat or a little concave - a convex typing surface would be very awkward.

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Daiwa, reply 15
And (so far) keyboards are flat or a little concave - a convex typing surface would be very awkward.
End of Daiwa's quote

Not sure about it being necessarily awkward, Daiwa. I alwys wonder about what would feel best versus what we've been taught to expect to feel best.

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DaveRI, reply 13
Plus holding your fingers up constantly trying to avoid stray strokes.
End of DaveRI's quote

If they haven't dealt with that issue then forget investing...it will be dead in the water.

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 18
Quoting DaveRI, reply 13 Plus holding your fingers up constantly trying to avoid stray strokes.

If they haven't dealt with that issue then forget investing...it will be dead in the water.
End of Jafo's quote

Because I feel this to be a valid point, I've left a question for the developer on kickstart.

Good question, DaveRI.  :thumbsup:

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top

looks cool, I bet is just to prizey

Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 19
Quoting Jafo, reply 18Quoting DaveRI, reply 13 Plus holding your fingers up constantly trying to avoid stray strokes.

If they haven't dealt with that issue then forget investing...it will be dead in the water.

Because I feel this to be a valid point, I've left a question for the developer on kickstart.

Good question, DaveRI. 
End of DrJBHL's quote

Jason Giddings, the dev has answered DaveRI's question/concern which I addressed to him as follows:

"We are considering software options to fix this problem. Personally I keep my hands above the keys but power typists like to relax their hands on the home row. What we are considering is to allow the software to determine the pressure on the keyboard by measuring the size of the touch zone. That way you can lightly rest you fingers but any pressure will trigger the key. This option can be toggled on and off by the user... some people would prefer the sensitivity while some would prefer resting their fingers on the home row." - Jason Giddings

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Sounds promising....but pressure by size of touch zone won't work.....not everyone has the same sized fingers.

They going to have it 'learn' the typist's finger size? ....;)

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thanks for going to the trouble of asking them that, Dr.  I'll admit it does look pretty cool.  I suppose there could be a market for it.

And I'll apologize in advance for this but I just can't resist:

Clearly this is the keyboard that Zubaz has already been using for the last several years X|   XD

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DaveRI, reply 23
Clearly this is the keyboard that Zubaz has already been using for the last several years
End of DaveRI's quote

No, Zubaz's method of typing is to stick the keyboard up on a wall and blindly throw marbles at the keys...

...not quite WYSIWYG .... more ... WYSIWIMTH ...[What You See Is What-ever I Manage To Hit] ...;)

Reply #25 from Elemental Forums Top

Hey! That method is copywrited by Lost!