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Sensus case brings touch input to the back and side of your iPhone

If you're one of the select group of iPhone owners who feels that their device simply doesn't have enough touch input options, Canopy is showing a new accessory at CES 2013 that more than addresses that problem. Called the Sensus, it's a case for the iPhone 4, 4S and 5 that bestows the devices with additional touch surfaces on the back and right side.

The Sensus, which will sell for between US$59 and $99 when it arrives this summer, connects to the phone's 30-pin or Lightning connector for power and offers a passthrough for charging and data. When used with apps specifically designed to take advantage of it, the case adds 10 points of multitouch input.

Canopy has a suite of apps in the works for the device, as core iOS functions and existing apps do not support it. The company does say, however, that app makers can add Sensus functionality with just a few lines of code via an SDK available now. It's uncertain how many are exploring the possibility of doing so, though. Among Canopy's own apps are a Braille keyboard and a camera that uses the right-side panel for all input, so your fingers don't get in the way of your viewfinder.