Mitsubishi shows off "3D touch panel" display

Bothered by all the touching involved with touchscreens? Then you may want to keep an eye out for Mitsubishi's latest and greatest bit of technology, which promises to detect the distance between a finger and the touch panel to allow for a whole host of new interface options. That's done with the aid of an array of sensors that can also be used to calculate the speed at which the finger is approaching, and allow for a so-called "mouse-over function," which would essentially let your finger control a cursor without actually touching the screen -- something Mitsubishi says would be ideal for devices with small screens. Of course, it is still just in prototype form (currently a 5.7-inch capacitive VGA display), but Mitsubishi says it's based on panels that are already on the market, which should help ease development and reduce costs. Not surprisingly, Mitsubishi also says that "it will first be used for our products," although it naturally didn't say exactly what those product might be.

[chris @ Mar 11th 2009 9:59PM]

I would guess, "their products" = Mitsubishi LCDs

[ImaYam @ Mar 11th 2009 11:10PM]

3d p0rn! :P

[Azlo @ Mar 12th 2009 9:49AM]

Nay! It'll be 3D interactive p0rn

[murmermer @ Mar 11th 2009 10:03PM]

I heard this is a joint effort between Apple inc. and Mitsubishi. This not only will produce the best iPhone to ever grace our hands but will also sink seamlessly with the new Mitsubishi's coming to the market in a few years!

I hate the iPhone and all the Apple fanboys i think Look-Around-You is the coolest person in the world. Windows Vista for LIFE!!!!!

[Osman @ Mar 11th 2009 10:09PM]

wtf did i just read??

[Kamil @ Mar 11th 2009 10:16PM]

dude!!
try reading that comment while on shrooms! its fricken psychedelic!

[sacapuntas @ Mar 11th 2009 10:26PM]

It appears to be 3 completely unrelated sentences. That is just my guess...

[bill cant fart @ Mar 11th 2009 10:28PM]

I'm ranking this guy up because of all the sense he made.

[webon @ Mar 11th 2009 11:33PM]

wtf??!!??!!??!!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[Hamidxa @ Mar 12th 2009 12:47AM]

non sequitur

Dictionary: non se·qui·tur (nŏn sĕk'wĭ-tər, -tʊr')
1. An inference or conclusion that does not follow from the premises or evidence.
2. A statement that does not follow logically from what preceded it.

[kyle allen @ Mar 11th 2009 10:06PM]

doesn't Mitsubishi make space ships too? maby their making the ultimate space ship

[Twitchy @ Mar 12th 2009 1:51AM]

Or the world's blingest heat pump.

[Razloga @ Mar 11th 2009 10:07PM]

I don't understand this infatuation with touching things.. However, since Mitsubishi is going to be working with Android, I am a little curious to see what will come of this...

[webon @ Mar 11th 2009 11:34PM]

"I don't understand this infatuation with touching things"

its called puberty, you'll eventually pass it, it'll all make sense then

[jack1701 @ Mar 11th 2009 11:43PM]

touching is good

[Saltboy @ Mar 12th 2009 8:17AM]

Yeah. I love when I use somebody's iPhone that I have to spend a few minutes cleaning it first so that my finger slides and the view is not obscured.

Touching the thing you are reading in the readable space is not ideal.

[Bakari @ Mar 11th 2009 10:13PM]

Does anyone else predict the minority report interface in a 5 years?

[Kinger @ Mar 11th 2009 10:46PM]

dude this is way beyond Minority

[neal.lucas @ Mar 11th 2009 11:01PM]

This sounds so similar.

Who would have thought? What's next...?

[nohbdysere @ Mar 11th 2009 11:08PM]

minority has allready been made. just not available to the masses yet. and that will be in a few years.

[Wwhat @ Mar 12th 2009 7:21AM]

I predict next they will move the touch part separate into a pad, then make that smaller by making it a mini-joystick and then we are all awed by the idea since everybody forgot that how we started, watch it happen :)

[kingofdaberbz @ Mar 11th 2009 10:25PM]

That's awesome

[Game_playa @ Mar 11th 2009 10:31PM]

Nice

[mocax @ Mar 11th 2009 10:41PM]

mmmm.... Mitsubishi Evo XXX...... with 3D touch screen steering, gear shift and paddles.....

[Jonathan @ Mar 11th 2009 11:15PM]

mmmm... puppies.

[Ken J @ Mar 11th 2009 11:17PM]

You mean you have to use your HANDS??? That's like a baby's toy!

[webon @ Mar 11th 2009 11:39PM]

That's about as funny as a screen door on a battleship.

[Azlo @ Mar 12th 2009 9:47AM]

"Do I... Do I conduct with my penis?"

-Peter Griffen

[Levi @ Mar 12th 2009 10:04AM]

Back to the future reference ftw!

[superhobo @ Mar 12th 2009 4:19AM]

IronMan

[Levi @ Mar 12th 2009 10:08AM]

This actually sounds like of has potential to be pretty awesome! I was starting to lose faith in new input tech after that "revolutionary" motion detection that enables you to "flick" your phone to change a music track...

[Levi @ Mar 12th 2009 10:11AM]

Sry for the double, but I just had a thought... What if they combined autostrreoscopic tech with this tech??!? Imagine having windows that actually overlap each other, and being bow to interact with them in a virtual space above the screen without 3D glasses...

...god I'm a dork... Don't care... That would be too cool...