While the capability to interact immediately with a tool’s display through contact has emerged as near-ubiquitous, Microsoft is looking to increase this user interaction similarly by exploring touch sensitivity in different substances.
According to a patent submission currently exposed by using Windows Latest, Microsoft is trying to introduce smart fabrics into some of its product traces to act as an extra-person interface for current touchscreens and trackpads.
The patent describes using contact sensors embedded in the fabric as an interface. This ‘clever’ cloth is then embedded into a wide range of merchandise, ranging from drugs and headphones to wearable gadgets, sweatbands, and even couches.
Given the photos and descriptions filed in the patent, it appears in all likelihood that such surfaces will act as a gestural interface—for example, swiping ahead and again on the aspect of what appears to be a HoloLens to alternate the displayed overlay or adjust the extent while sporting a ‘smart’ scarf and headphones concurrently.
While the patent avoids mainly bringing up any product, going as far as to be deliberately extensive with many of its depictions, it isn’t too much of a stretch to assume the generation’s software to the prevailing cloth-clad Surface range.
The first of such figures shows zones on both aspects of a pill, predominantly at the rear of the tool, wherein the arms of either handgrip may additionally hold it, and continuing around to the tablet’s face, where both thumbs could grip the bezel.
In this case, the arms are excellent for navigating gestures such as volume control, switching apps, or doubtlessly using a cursor on a Surface Pro 6 or similar tool.
Naturally, these are simply patents at this factor; however, here’s hoping we’ll see Microsoft launch a clever couch with embedded faraway control.
