The popularity in the use of touchscreen is increasing on laptops. They provide an easy user interface and are also more speedy and efficient. However, there are still many computing devices that lack touch sensitivity, especially most desktop PCs. Microsoft has come up with a technology where users of non-touch devices can yield all these benefits as well.
Microsoft has patented a technique for using an alternative input device to maneuver any device like a touchscreen. It attempts to emulate a more real and convenient touch experience in doing different tasks. According to the report, one such situation is while drawing or inking on top of a document.
How Does It Work?
To achieve these results, Microsoft suggests an external input mechanism. Users can use a laptop touchpad / another touch-sensitive surface to position a similar-sized surface on the display screen. Once fixed, an input mode is triggered. Next, users can draw/write/press on the touch-sensitive interface within the pre-determined area. The installed trigger then accepts the data from the external interface to display on its screen, allowing for a seemingly seamless experience. The method should successfully be able to interpret the different touch events as taps, swipes, pinches, or any of a wide variety of gestures input by the user.
This technology requires a touch sensing device, a computing system, and a display screen device. The computing system can be a part of either the touch-sensing or the display. According to the report, this method should work on any size of devices. Touch sensing surfaces can be of a smartphone, a tablet, a trackpad, or another similar tool. Similarly, the display screen can be a television, a desktop monitor, or another type of large-screen device.
An exciting feature – Remote Computing
Another exciting feature mentioned is remote sensing. For example, you can easily access the files on your phone from the desktop even when the touchpad is not working or absent altogether. The systems can communicate over not just wire technology, but remote networks as well ( WAN, LAN, cellular, and field communication). It may also be a cloud computing system or another remote server architecture, or another remote system.
Scope Of The Technique
If Microsoft is successfully able to launch this technique among the public, it can have several revolutionary impacts. It can pave a broader way for remote working, make day-to-day work like slides, excel sheets and painting more comfortable, and also hint at a more progressive AI. From smartphones, pads, and gaming gears to various service and operational activities at offices, supermarkets, cinema, and entertainment businesses, it might bring multiple positive changes.
The full report was published on Patentscope and does not have any modifications or updates to it yet.
