14 DAY TRIAL // You can’t really replace physical buttons. They give the best tactile feedback, and when touch accuracy comes to mind, a physical object touching a physical object is the best forms of interaction with the greatest degree of touch precision.
So why should we be sticking to glass touchscreens? The guys at the Technische Universität Berlin think the same thing and started developing soft, temporary buttons of any shape you’d want, basically anywhere on the touchscreeen display. In order to achieve this, the German researchers used a heat-activated gel that's transparent and fluid at room temperature but hardens into an opaque, defined shape when warmed.
Called “GelTouch,” the new technology comes in the form of a 7-inch prototype device that is covered by a layer of this thermally activated gel, with another layer of conductive film behind it. The film carries the much-needed electrical current that basically directs the heat to special areas on the display, creating the contour of the buttons. At the moment, the German team has patented a couple of tactile concepts, like a rectangular key arrangements similar to classical phone key row, a slider made also from a row of buttons, and a joystick-like nub.
The researchers see the use of this gel for a large array of applications, like car drivers who need to feel the jelly buttons in order to pay attention to the road instead of their phone. Right now, the development is still quirky and not very practical, since it takes time for the gel to coagulate in order to form buttons, and it is not opaque in order to let users see through it, but in time, the tech may evolve to become a reliable touch interface.