This week, Microsoft filed a patent for a new type of touchscreen that can display variable textures:
It is this difference which sets Microsoft's design apart from other variable surface touchscreens.
Link via DVICE | Image: Paramount
Whereas previous screens produced only an illusion of texture, Microsoft proposes producing a real texture, using pixel-sized shape-memory plastic cells that can be ordered to protrude from the surface on command.[...]
Microsoft's named inventor, Erez Kikin-Gil at the firm's Redmond campus in Washington state, says in the patent that the idea is aimed at large table-sized computing displays such as the company's Surface, rather than phones or tablets.
A projector built into the Surface displays a computer image onto the table top from below. As the user touches it, infrared reflections from their fingertips are detected by cameras beneath the table and used to pinpoint the position of the finger and lend touchscreen capability.
In the patent, Microsoft proposes coating the display with a light-induced shape-memory polymer. This becomes hard and protruding when one wavelength of ultraviolet light is transmitted at a pixel, and soft when another wavelength hits it. By modulating these wavelengths, texture can be created, the patent claims.
It is this difference which sets Microsoft's design apart from other variable surface touchscreens.
Link via DVICE | Image: Paramount
Comments (2)
These are just spherical neodymium magnets.
Rather than spheres, "weakly" magnetized 1/8" - 3/16" cubical magnets are the best choice for this. Be sure to get a perfect cube. (K&J magnetics sells them in cubic quantities, even!)
Oh yes! I was thinking that as Well!
Also: This is going to the top of my xmas list.
Dagnabbit... thanks to you I just ordered 100 1/8" cubes from K&J.
The rubber coated ones seem even cooler but far more expensive.
The magnetic fields of magnetic balls are concentrated more at the poles than disc or block magnets. These balls are great for experimentation and magic tricks and are just plain fascinating to play with.
Neocube is consisted of hundreds of individual strong neodymium balls.
You can create huge number of shapes and models according to your imagination by this amazing Neocube.
Neocube is wonderfully suitable for experiments and combining with other magnets.
No one who comes into contact with these magnets ever wants to give them back. These small but very powerful Neocube inevitably arouse a sense of play.
The more, the better.
Eric
www.neo-cube.cn
sales@neo-cube.cn
The magnetic fields of magnetic balls are concentrated more at the poles than
disc or block magnets. These balls are great for experimentation and magic tricks
and are just plain fascinating to play with.
QQMAG (NeoCube) is consisted of hundreds of individual strong neodymium balls.
You can create huge number of shapes and models according to your imagination by this amazing QQMAG (NeoCube).
QQMAG (NeoCube) is wonderfully suitable for experiments and combining with other magnets.
No one who comes into contact with these magnets ever wants to give them back. These small but very powerful QQMAG (NeoCube) inevitably arouse a sense of play.
The more, the better.
http://www.iqmagtoy.com/qqmag
sales@cndailymag.com
NeoCube
- Gadget Master
TheCyberCube.com
Happy Cubing!
After looking up those mentioned and several (including wholesalers) I found on my own, I believe that the CyberCube is the best value for your money.
I tried to buy a bulk lot from a wholesaler before searching for the cheapest set available.
In my search of wholesalers the best one I found was Indigo.com. They unfortunately do not sell sphere magnets and if they did I SUSPECT that it would still be cheaper to buy a set of 216 or 343 magnets from a place like BukcyBalls or NeoCube or CyberCube, but they have good deals on other magnets and scientific equipment - I searched for hours. I believe that they have the cheapest prisms on the web (trianlge-shaped pieces of glass that let you see around corners or show the full spectrum of light).
For instance, you can buy 64 (which is 4x4) nickle-coated neodymium N42 cube magnets that are 5mm x 5mm x 5mm, for only $11.52 .
You should email me.
We are official dealer of the cubes.
Bob esponja