14 DAY TRIAL // A newly-uncovered patent application filed by Apple proposes a hybrid physical keyboard that will double as a motion-sensitive input device. The inventor is John Elias, one of the co-founders of FingerWorks, a company acquired by Apple in 2005.
It is known that FingerWorks’ work stands at the basis of Apple's multi-touch technology, as MacRumors appropriately points out.
Based on this technology is Apple’s Magic Trackpad, a relatively new product that has failed to make a splash in the industry.
Not to worry, though. Apple appears to have an even better idea of how to improve user input in desktop computing. The only question is: will it ever materialize?
“Over the last forty years there have been numerous attempts made to introduce an alternative to the standard keyboard,” the company’s patent application reads.
“The changes include, but are not limited to, non-QWERTY layouts, concave and convex surfaces, capacitive keys, split designs, membrane keys, etc.”
“However, although such alternative keyboards may provide improved usability or ergonomics, they have failed to replace or duplicate the commercial success of the conventional mechanical keyboard,” Apple explains.
As such, the company proposes “Image processing techniques that can improve the user interface experience associated with key-based input devices.”
In one embodiment, Apple proposes that a motion sensitive mechanical keyboard can utilize orthogonally oriented cameras to sense hand/finger motion over the surface of the keys.
According to the Mac maker, “This arrangement can enable a standard look and feel mechanical keyboard to receive command and cursor input (e.g., pointing and gestures) from the user without requiring the user to move the user's hand off the keyboard.”
“The image processing techniques can be utilized to minimize or remove undesirable cursor movement that can occur based on certain detected hand/finger motion from such cameras, including looming and/or vertical motions for example,” the patent abstract adds.
The keyboard would offer two modes of use: a typing mode and a mouse mode.
These could be toggled by holding down a key - such as holding down the Ctrl. key to make right clicks with today’s mice - or via a specific key combination.
The end benefit would be to use only a keyboard for both typing and navigation.
