By Evan Ackerman

The touch part of a touchpad is a great idea, but the pad part tends to be a bit of a downside due to the limitations (be they technological or merely aesthetic) that a pad imposes. QSI Corporation’s Infinitouch has transcended the pad, and is able to turn any semi-rigid material into a fully functional touch sensitive surface that can sense X and Y coordinates as well as applied force. The picture above, for example is a touch sensitive slate-backed waterfall. Yep, that’s right, a touch sensitive waterfall.

The system itself is pretty simple: there are force sensors mounted behind the surface, and pushing on the surface in different places puts a different amount of force on each sensor. Through some simple math (they claim it’s simple, anyway) you can calculate exactly where the force is being applied. The surface itself can be made of something impervious, making the technology ideal for public places. You can make the surface 3D, glue stuff to it, or cut holes in it, all without effecting the touch sensing capability. Click here for more details and a video.

[ Infinitouch Force Panel Technology ] VIA [ Technabob ]

Innovation