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The Future!: Company Develops Physically Raised Touchscreen Buttons That Appear/Disappear As Needed

June 7, 2012 / buttons, everybody loves buttons and dials!, feedback, feeling things, haptic, man i suck at texting, mashing things, my fingers are too big, pushing things, smartphones, tablets, the future is now, too bad phones all phones are gonna cost like $1000 now, typing without looking, you just wait

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Tactus Technology has developed a user interface for smart phones/other touchscreen devices that can instantly create physically raised buttons based on the current screen. That way it's easier to text/navigate. Plus some people just like touching buttons! Hey, what's this big red one do? *launches nukes* Haha -- just like in the movies!

Tactus Technology this week demoed Tactile Layer, a product that uses haptics, or a touch-based interface, to make patterns or shapes rise and recede on a regular touchscreen.


The company says its panel, which it displayed on a prototype Android tablet at this week's Society for Information Display showcase in Boston, is "the world's first deformable tactile surface."

The layer is flat and transparent and wouldn't add any thickness to a gadget since it would replace a layer that already exists, Tactus says.

No word if the system is capable of producing realistic-feeling nipples on a picture of a naked lady, but that's definitely where this technology is going -- just watch. "Cool, but how can we use it for p0rn0?" every mogul in the adult industry is asking himself right now.

Hit the jump for a video demo.

Thanks to Evil Ares and 9outof10mms, who don't even need buttons because they control everything with their minds. Just kidding -- voice-command, but still.

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There are Comments

  • "ock." -the rest of what dude was typing in the picture.

  • zeldasbff

    Three words: Whack. A. Mole.

  • fap a hole

  • Gaming! :D

  • DomPearceDesign

    Personally I've always thought the lack of tactile and haptic feedback is what hampers touchscreen input. I find trying to type, especially touchtype, with a touchscreen of any kind is slightly more difficult without the physical aspects, which pretty much balances out any advantages that the highly variable display gives. This is the perfect invention to combat the disadvantages, and if it gets adopted I think it may finally do away with traditional keyboards for good. I approve!

  • I have a cheap Nokia phone with tactile feedback for the screen, and it's not very helpful :-/

  • DomPearceDesign

    I presume its the basic "vibrate on key" that a number of smartphones have (my old HTC Wildfire had it) and yes, I agree, not very helpful. I was more referring to individual key feedback like a genuine keyboard, rather than the whole device shaking (which does not happen with full size devices, at least not deliberately).

  • Isn't the idea to move forward with technology? The touchscreen offers far less constrictions for new displays as per required by the operation you're carrying out.

    Then again, if they offer a bubble wrap app it might be a hit :3

  • Sergeant_Poop

    Yes...that is the idea...which is why they've invented this.

  • Andrey Burkov

    It's very strange you was think about nipples... The clitoris would be much more suitable

  • That is pretty awesome. I do wonder if this also means they'll also consider creating a never-ending bubble wrap simulator. :D

  • Ed

    FINALLY!!! The future is now! Suck it ipad!

  • You statement lacks any common sense.

  • Lol, sad thing is I pretty much think Apple could buy Tactus Technolgy if they wanted to

  • Go back to buttons? Steve would come down from Heaven and smite the headquarters! :P

  • I'd like to see some vibrator app and a raised surface on that! know what i mean!? :3

  • emuhack emuhack

    This is really Cool!!!

  • Pretty cool.

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