Pressure-sensitive touchscreens show up on the not too distant horizon
By Vlad Savov 
posted January 27th 2010 4:17AM
posted January 27th 2010 4:17AM
posted January 27th 2010 4:17AM
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People might not see how significant this is now, but think about it.
How much more accurate would our touchscreens be if the screen could deduce exactly what parts had the most pressure applied. This could revolutionize touchscreens as we know them.
@kpenning how much more accurate could this article get if it actually explains the technology behind it?
@kpenning You mean like the resistive touch screens that are in use in many places now? They are pressure sensitive.
@kpenning
Piano or musical instrument on a slate or tablet pc is the first thing that comes to mind. Or in the new iSlate .. hmm or ebook reader ...
iReader, iReadr? hmm
iRead ?
hmm.
After reading the tech article, it sounds like the force-dependent resistors are the real show-stopper. The technology is now feasible because the resistors can be made small enough and spaced precisely enough that quantum mechanics can take over. It seems rather short-sighted that the first use researchers came up with for the technology is making slightly more responsive touchscreens.
I sincerely hope nintendo bring one to the next ds. How is this different from what wacom is already selling?
@Ridgecity I think what Wacom is doing currently has the pressure sensitivity in the pen part, as the tip depresses with pressure.
@Ridgecity
The DS screen is already pressure-sensitive. There are a number of homebrew apps that show this.
This article is incorrect - it's just describing a new form of pressure sensitivity, rather than an introduction of it.
Can you say: "Interactive web Porn?"
No longer will you have to tell your new Cam mistress what to do, just push her buttons to make go her wild!
What is the main advantage to this technology compared to current resistive and capacative touchscreens?
ok i can't resist...
75 micrometers is more than a hundreth of a millimeter
http://xkcd.com/386/
@bardamu
Now hurry along. She's waiting for ya!
Take out the "mili" and you'll fix TWO mistakes with one stroke!
@bardamu
I was just going to point that out
'endue'? Did you mean 'imbue'? ;-)
April?
Apple Tablet!
You heard it here first folks.
@DrDr Makes since to me since Apple ha that big contract for screens from LG!
Quantum tunneling!? The very act of observing the data changes the outcome.
It's still wrong~~~ /wail
Read my above post.
This isn't particularly new. QTC sheets and pills have been available for purchase for the past few years at least from mutr.co.uk. I've got some; it's pretty cool stuff.
Interesting. The Zune HD already has pressure sensing options built into its code, but I believe it relies more on the size of the object sensed than the actual pressure. After all, our fingers are squishy, and the area of contact tends to expand as you press harder.
Quantum tunneling, isn't that the principle on which transistors operate? Anyway, nice development. Coming to an iTablet near you in spring 2011
Um, touchscreen devices can already do real and accurate 'implied' pressure if the software supports it.
Take the Zune HD for example, it already provides pressure sensitive input.
This touch 'recognition' software that compensates for the area pressed and senses 'pressure' in the Zune HD is one of the things that makes its touch response and tracking the most accurate of any device in its category.
This technology is cool, but I get the feeling that people don't realize that devices like the Zune HD are already around and doing pressure sensitive input.
(Even many of the TabletPCs that support 'touch' in addition to Pen input support pressure sensitivity, and all support Pen pressure sensitivity going back to 2003.)
e3 is the month after - wonder if nintendo would be the first customers for this tech?
They have to be real careful where this is implemented. I seriously doubt any touch screen is going to take the abuse it'd get if the user was gaming and thought "push harder!". Just think of the abuse you give the sticks and buttons on console controllers - and they're not even force sensitive.
the zaurus (anyone remember them?) had a pressure-sensitive touchscreen (resistive)... as does the nokia n800 and n810 (and probably the n900).
it's capacitive screens that aren't innately pressure sensitive.
Personally, I'd be a bit worried about this.
Everytime I'd let someone else use it, I'd be worried sick that they're going to try to apply TOO much pressure and crack the LCD.
Otherwise, it's a great step forwards, and one step closer to having a touchscreen feel as natural as using something physically (like a keyboard)
I realize that there was a lot of important science-y stuff in this post, but all I read was "UP YOURS WACOM" over and over.
"Added cheaply?" This makes me very happy.
Doesn't that already exist in the form of a resistive touch screen?
Drug dealers everywhere rejoice as they will longer have the need to carry digis in fear! Just remember to wipe off the residue after weigh....
The problem with quantum tunneling is that if you push too hard there's a minuscule chance your finger will end up on the other side of the universe.