09-19-2002, 07:01 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Is The Virtual Keyboard Finally A Reality?
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,539778,00.asp
Here's an ExtremeTech article that provides a few more details about the Canesta "Virtual Keyboard" that was first hyped back in March. It sounds like a pretty snazzy product, but I'm still a bit skeptical about whether it will ever actually reach production.
The concept is that a chipset projects an image of a keyboard onto a flat surface and then detects finger movements, translating them into keystrokes. The developers admit that there is a learning curve involved for users, especially for touch-typists. They also claim that an experienced user can reach typing speeds of up to 80 words per minute.
Impressive, huh? Take a look at the rest of the article and let me know how excited you think we should be about this.
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09-19-2002, 08:02 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,768
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link
The link is broken, try this instead.
One of the recently-hired persons on my team was in management consulting prior to her current position in my group and was working on this project. She said the technology is real, but they needed help marketing the solution and they were agressively getting help. I would say that this is really going to happen. I need my tactile feedback of a real keyboard, but I guess someone could get used to this in a pinch.
__________________
Jonathan (JonnoB)
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." -Edmund Burke
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09-19-2002, 09:05 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 91
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Colour me a skeptic...
I type about 95wpm on a thinkpad keyboard, about 90wpm on a logitech desktop keyboard (says something about the quality of thinkpads), and about 75wpm on a stowaway. I'd be faster, but the driver for the stowaway for the iPaq blows - lots of lag time and missed keystrokes.
I tried the belkin, and my mistake ratio was very high. I've tried the keyboard on a Fujitsu P1000 and ditto (it's smaller than the belkin layout).
But at least all of these keys have tactile feedback. I'm fairly convinced that 80wpm on that hologram keyboard is next to impossible... at least for touch typists, but I think for anyone really...
Then again, I've seen some RIM users who just fly though that thing, only with thumbs... 
Mark
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09-19-2002, 09:57 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 32
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Is this really best marketed at 'touch typists' ? I'd have thought more PDAs are in the hands of the 'look & peck' crowd.
Touch typing also 'implies' high volume, but PDAs were never designed to be high volume input devices.
If this technology works, I'd expect to see this hit the add on full-size keyboard market quite significantly. Most of the PDA users would probably be happy to achieve 20-30 wpm, and if they don't need to carry around any extra hardware to achieve this, then it's a no-brainer.
I'm not holding my breath, but I am on the edge of my seat with interest!!
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09-19-2002, 11:20 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 102
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They demoed the prototype of this on Tomorrow's World (UK technology program, for those not in the know) about 6 months ago. It worked (which is novel for TW, noted for it's attempts to demo voice control systems and other goodies way before they were ready).
It's a neat idea until you start thinking about the problems.
You need just as much space as a real keyboard, a flat surface at that so you can't use it on your lap and airplane fold-down tables are likely to be a bit cramped. You save carrying extra weight and an extra box, but the power consumption is likely to be, well, not low.
Touch typists are going to loathe it. No key feel, and you'd have to be quite careful about finger positioning. I don't think 80 words per minute is anything to write home about, but it's a while since my sister did RSA typing.
I think it's more of a novelty than a useful tool, rather like voice controlled word processor software.
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09-19-2002, 11:22 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 102
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by CoffeeKid
Then again, I've seen some RIM users who just fly though that thing, only with thumbs... |
You know the Japenese are calling their kids the Thumb Generation :?
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09-19-2002, 11:25 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 541
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Note: Tomorrow's World is also on TechTV: http://www.techtv.com/tw
You could probably find it by searching for there.
One thing that bothers me is the mockup pic, or at least, why is the beam coming out of the iPaq's body. But it doesn't seem to be vapourous.. so meh.
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09-19-2002, 01:23 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 102
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It is a shame that the image of the keyboard is projected using an etched lens. If they had the technology to project a dynamic image then this could be a very cool interface method.
For a start, the input system could be customised to your heart's (or hands'!) content.
You could then have different layouts to suit your current task. Large up and down arrows for scrolling, a glidepad for mouse movement, giant numeric pad and arrows for spreadsheet work etc.
Extrapolating further, there is no reason why you couldn't project some of the user's output too. It might be nice to see the line of text you are typing appear on the desk just above your hands. This would be a very comfortable way of working for some writers.
I realise these ideas aren't particularly practical now due to technology and power limitations - but it is nice to speculate about what we'll be using in a few years!
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09-19-2002, 02:14 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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I think that this is one of the products that we too quickly judge it based on what it is today. Not on what it's potential is.
I think the potential for this product is very good. How many people out there use a keyboard with their PDA? How many think it's a PITA carring this thing around, unfolding it, plugging it in.....
I feel quite confident that the developers of this product will be able to bring a version to market that we will all be very glad to use. Just let them fool with it for a bit, and see what they come up with.
Dave
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09-19-2002, 03:17 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Paragon
I feel quite confident that the developers of this product will be able to bring a version to market...
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Sure, I'm not necessarily saying that this will never come to market, but there's been enough hype about it that I am very leery of their timeline. This is at least two years away from regular production, IMO.
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