TactileScreen
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Rumor mill: Will the new iPad have a tactile display?
Remember Senseg's tactile touchscreen displays? Well, last December the company showed off a screen that used an electrostatic field to simulate friction and textures on the glass. Such technology was a couple of years away from being commercially viable, but there's a tiny glimmer of a chance it might be the new killer iPad feature. Pocket-lint spoke to a company rep who cryptically said that the company wasn't making any statements until "after Apple's announcement." Why would they issue any statement tied to today's Apple news? Could it connect with a remark made back in June 2011 to Trusted Reviews, that Senseg had partnered with a "certain tablet maker based in Cupertino?" Maybe that line in Apple's invitation to today's event is another clue: "We have something you really have to see. And Touch." After all, Siri was announced at the "Let's talk iPhone" event, so it wouldn't be the first time the company places vague hints under our noses. Still, we have but a few hours left to wait until we really know what's coming, so join us for the live announcement later today.
Senseg's tactile display gets demoed on a tablet, products anticipated within 24 months
We've seen Senseg's tactile display technology demoed on a few different devices in the past, but CNET has now gotten a quick look of the company's latest tech on a tablet, along with some additional word on its future. As with previous prototypes, the screen doesn't rely on any moving parts as some other tactile displays do, but instead employs an electrostatic field-based system that allows different parts of the screen to produce varying degrees of friction. As Senseg notes, that opens up a number of interesting possibilities for gaming, as well as other applications where you may not always want to look at the screen. Of course, that tablet is still very much a prototype, but Senseg's Dave Rice says that he's "optimistic" we'll see actual products using it "within the next year," although he notes that could extend to 24 months. See the video after the break or at the source link below.
