A device turns anything into a touchscreen, allows you to paint in midair
It might look like a picture frame without a photo, but it's actually a device that can turn any screen into a touchscreen. It uses sensing technology to allow users to write or paint in midair.
Researchers at the Interface Ecology Lab at Texas A&M University invented the optical multi-touch device called the ZeroTouch.
It works with a special kind of optical force field: A frame is set up to beam thousands of light beams through it. So when a hand, fingers, or any body part, enters the optical force field - the device knows something is interfering with it. The device operates with 256 infrared sensors and 32 LEDs - and hooks up to a computer through a USB connection.
Although the device is only in prototype stage, the 28-inch device could help turn any screen into a touchscreen for a fraction of the price. The sensors used in the device are the same kind used in TV remote controls.
According to Discovery News, some possible uses of the device include:
- surgeons can use it to train their hands
- spice up the interaction between you and your smartphone or computer
- improve guides on how to build stuff
The device was exhibited at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.
It certainly looks cool. Watch the demonstration of the device here:
Tech Turns Air Into a Multi-Touch Screen [Discovery News]
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com