Sony prototypes pressure-sensitive tactile touchscreen, hopes to use it ASAP

Sony may come up with some far-out ideas, but the company insists this one's a bit closer to home: it's a LCD touchscreen with force sensing resistors and piezoelectric actuators that can detect how much pressure is applied and vibrate the panel respectively. Tech-On was rocking the scene at Open House 2010, and reports that the Cover Flow-like interface shuffled icons faster the harder a demonstrator pressed down, an interesting UI quirk in and of itself. Though the publication sadly didn't get to test out the tactile feedback for themselves, Sony said commercialization might not be too far off -- when asked about that telling Sony Ericsson logo, the company asserted that it'd like to see the tech in mobile phones "as soon as possible." We'd love to hold them to that, but unfortunately the applied pressure mechanic is just a prototype at this point.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 9th 2010 1:53AM]

Capacitive or bust.

[seanGadget Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:24AM]

@Fragmented
Wow, 2 of the same comments, both get downranked.
Looks to me like an "unverified" bust.

[Extinction Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:46AM]

@(Unverified) PSP2 or bust

[Tes Posted Jun 9th 2010 5:35AM]

@(Unverified)

When your comment is so bad you get a sensible comment out of Fragmented, you know you're a loser.

[integrate Posted Jun 9th 2010 6:40AM]

@Fragmented

"resistance"

Also, look up "pressure transducer."

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 9th 2010 1:53AM]

Capacitive or bust.

[joshky Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:02AM]

@(Unverified)

you obviously dont understand what piezoelectrics are. the pressure sensing function seems to be completely separate from the actual touch function.

[Bobot Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:54AM]

@joshky
Yes, but it spreads greater amount of finger oil on the screen (bigger surface of the finger is actually touching and pushing the screen). So, the screen looks like an oily mess after some minutes of use...I would prefer it on the side of the device...

[HowardtheDuck Posted Jun 9th 2010 1:58AM]

Intresting 'for now'.

[HowardtheDuck Posted Jun 9th 2010 1:58AM]

@HowardtheDuck

Nice spelling, me. Interesting.

[DefPoet Posted Jun 9th 2010 1:59AM]

Dear Sony,
Cease and desist
Sign, wacom lawyers

[kapanak Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:07AM]

@DefPoet

The two techs are COMPLETELY different.

[llaadd Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:15AM]

@DefPoet if anyone sends them that letter, it will be Nokia for this: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/24/nokia-patent-app-reveals-dreams-of-pressure-sensitive-multitouch/

[PandaLand Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:00AM]

Possible console controller use?

[Crazed Geek Posted Jun 9th 2010 9:31AM]

@PandaLand The DualShock 2 and 3 already have pressure sensitive face buttons. Which don't work terribly well, by the way... They technically work, but I've yet to see a game use them that doesn't feel like you're jamming your fingers into the controller.

[derX Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:06AM]

Sony, do NOT rush this. RIM did and you see how highly regarded their Storm line is.

Get it perfect the first time.

[KC Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:04PM]

@derX

That was my first thought also. Sounds like SE is trying to perfect Surepress even using the same technology found in the Blackberry Storm 2.

I think SE might be on the right path though, as pressure sensing alone without the whole screen moving might be the best way to implement it. I am not even sure the vibration is necessary but I guess it would be useful at first to train the user what the different levels of force required for different actions are. As long as you could turn it off when you get used to using it is fine.

Just hope Sony Ericsson checks with RIM first before going commercial with it or they may find themselves in a patent lawsuit as RIM uses this same tech for a very similar purpose in Surepress screens with the only notable difference being that instead of the entire screen moving, SE just have the screen vibrate. Whether or not that is different enough, I'd hope SE chooses to work out with RIM rather then before a judge.

[Jive Turkey Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:07AM]

"force sensing resistors"
Where's Lord Vader!?

[Sogeking Posted Jun 9th 2010 5:13AM]

@Jive Turkey

He has been...resisted.

[atc9000 Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:09AM]

You can tell All at Sony to stop Fucking about with new phones and screen tech and sort out ther top of the range LOL x10i out.
ITS LIKE A BIG TITTED WOMAN, ITS NEEDS SUPPORT...

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:25AM]

@atc9000

You could say that about 99% of what Sony does. betamax anyone? UMD? BluRay (before it "won")?

[sonyforlife Posted Jun 20th 2010 7:53PM]

@d3sc3nd3ncy cd look it up

[johnnylin0924 Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:09AM]

First and, sony got some wild LCD tech these days.
Still first.

[Arkv2 Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:21AM]

HELL YEAH.

[Psyclotr0n Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:00AM]

AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!

[pika2000 Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:24AM]

Well, when Sony Ericsson says "ASAP," that means they will follow the swift timeline of Duke Nukem Forever.

[Nimer55 Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:36AM]

@pika2000


hahaha.... If i ever hit the lottery i'm going to buy the rights to that game, and release it...

[NitOxYs Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:26AM]

I feel the force is weak with this one.. (Steals line from Vader)

[Trickymaster Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:53AM]

Well, I need to touch it to see if it is a good idea. But it sounds good.

[gax907 Posted Jun 9th 2010 2:54AM]

Finally pressure sensitivity in phones...been waiting so long to use it in drawing apps.

[C3PO Posted Jun 9th 2010 3:02AM]

Those force sensitive resistors would be useful in avoiding the awful sith

[Psyclotr0n Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:00AM]

@C3PO
your comment's funnier with your avatar

[bathellfire Posted Jun 9th 2010 3:30AM]

Why would i ever need it on my phone? I barely keep up with all the multi-touch shit i already got on my iPhone.

[creezy8188 Posted Jun 9th 2010 3:55AM]

Something to tinker with. But it may be a bust, blackberry had click in screen which they did not expand on and it was a terrible bust. Reason why they are leaving it. Great innovations must come with great determination to make use of it. Because truthfully we don't need this on our phones.

[Psyclotr0n Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:06AM]

@creezy8188
we don't need iFart on our phones either, but there it is...

[creezy8188 Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:10AM]

@Psyclotr0n Touchè lol but its serious, this isn't a .99 cent app, it's thousands of dollars of research

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:26AM]

Isn't this just resistive + peizo-electric combined?

[Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi Posted Jun 9th 2010 6:08AM]

PSP2 could use this...

[Wrong Posted Jun 9th 2010 9:31AM]

This must be an artist phone. Now I can use it to draw manga on the go.

[invisible21 Posted Jun 9th 2010 10:04AM]

Multitouch has allowed decent pressure sensitivity for drawing based on the surface are of the touch device for some time. This could definitely make it better BUT I think the major use of this could be Velocity sensitivity for music production apps. Current multitouch implementations of velocity sensitivity require input from the microphone which means they really only work in a silent room with headphones on...completely impractical and totally worthless for the live musician.

[rizwan Posted Jun 9th 2010 4:12PM]

Dear God when will sony ericsson come out of the leaking/announcing/prototyping phase and start launching actual cell phones ... ?!