Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

A Touch Screen With Morphing Buttons

Posted by Soulskill on from the mighty-morphin-power-button dept.

Al writes "Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have created a touch screen that can also produce physical buttons. Graduate student Chris Harrison and professor Scott Hudson use a projector and infrared sensor below the screen to illuminate it and make it touch-sensitive, and the physical buttons are created using air pumps below the surface. They say this type of screen could be particularly useful when a simple, flat touch-screen is too distracting, for example in a vehicle dashboard."

21 of 160 comments (clear)

  1. Interactive porn in... by ActionJesus · · Score: 5, Funny

    3..2..1..

    1. Re:Interactive porn in... by sadness203 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Morphing pornstar ?

      Mmmh 'Key, click here, hold, [enlarging breast] ... Done.

      Congratulation, you now have a virtual porn star with triple G

      xxx-Box Achievement unlock : Isaac Newton's theory is now wrong.

    2. Re:Interactive porn in... by Locke2005 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Publishing the braille edition of Playboy suddenly makes a lot more sense!

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    3. Re:Interactive porn in... by Reason58 · · Score: 4, Funny

      They already have interactive porn. The problem is you constantly have to buy it dinner and feign interest while it talks about its day.

    4. Re:Interactive porn in... by clone53421 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Unless you just buy it.

      --
      Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
    5. Re:Interactive porn in... by Trikki+Nikki! · · Score: 5, Funny

      They already have interactive porn. The problem is you constantly have to buy it dinner and feign interest while it talks about its day.

      I know someone who's sleeping on the couch tonight!

      --
      i r in ur /.s girling up ur storiez
    6. Re:Interactive porn in... by Evanisincontrol · · Score: 2, Funny

      Is this some new feature?

      <offtopic>Yes.</offtopic>

    7. Re:Interactive porn in... by Captain+Splendid · · Score: 5, Funny

      Going for an insightful or funny mod, place your bets!

      I did the math on the Paul McCartney-Heather Mills divorce.
      After 5 years of marriage, he paid her $49 million.

      Assuming he banged her every night during their 5 year relationship, it ends up costing him $26,849 per lay, not counting attorney's fees and court costs.

      On the other hand, Elliot Spitzer's (Governor of New York) call girl Kristen charges $4,000 an hour. Crazy, right?

      But...

      Had Paul McCartney employed Kristen for 5 years, he would've paid $7.3 million for an hour of sex every night for 5 years (a savings of $41+million).

      Value-added benefits are:
      a 22 year old hot babe,
      no begging,
      no coaxing,
      never a headache,
      wide open menu,
      ability to put BOTH legs around you,
      no *****ing and complaining or "to do" lists.

      Best of all, she leaves when you're done, and comes back the next day, ready for another round. All at 1/7th the cost, with no legal fees.

      Is it just me, or is it better to rent?

      --
      Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
    8. Re:Interactive porn in... by Tetsujin · · Score: 2, Funny

      No , you would either break your finger or the screen, and if you are a pervert - Accidentally a whole...

      A whole what?

      --
      Bow-ties are cool.
  2. Accessibility.... by jdgeorge · · Score: 5, Funny

    Of course. You can't just use a simple flat touchscreen in a vehicle dashboard. It would be impossible for a blind person to find the controls.

    1. Re:Accessibility.... by busman · · Score: 5, Funny

      Of course. You can't just use a simple flat touchscreen in a vehicle dashboard. It would be impossible for a blind person to find the controls.

      and this is bad? I'm all for stopping blind people from controlling vehicles. See enough of them on the roads in Ireland already ;-)

      --
      __
      Sigs are like arse-holes, everybody has one ;-)
    2. Re:Accessibility.... by camperdave · · Score: 5, Funny

      It would be impossible for a blind person to find the controls.

      Trust me. If they can find the braille on the keyboards of drive through ATMs, they can find the braille on the control panel of a car.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    3. Re:Accessibility.... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes because at 100mph I want to be looking down at the dashboard to see where the volume up button is. Using a standard tactile dash I can feel it and I can feel if I've missed it. I don't have to take my eyes off the road.

      Or you could just turn the fucking knob.... What is it with kids these days?

      Grumble. Grump.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    4. Re:Accessibility.... by camperdave · · Score: 3, Funny

      Braille on drive-through ATMs is for blind passengers, not blind drivers.

      Are you saying that a blind person can't use the ATM if they are a driver? Nonsense! How would the machine know if they are a driver or not?

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    5. Re:Accessibility.... by vlm · · Score: 2, Funny

      Braille on drive-through ATMs is for blind passengers, not blind drivers.

      Are you saying that a blind person can't use the ATM if they are a driver? Nonsense! How would the machine know if they are a driver or not?

      Want to really screw around with people, try driving thru an ATM backwards so the passenger can use the ATM. Some of the driveway clearances and curves can be challenging when done in reverse. Also as a bonus you get to stare at the driver behind you, which can vary from pleasant (if they're hot), to disturbing (if they continue to pick their nose anyway despite being face to face).

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  3. Re:Slashdot logins are busted by TinBromide · · Score: 3, Funny

    No

    --
    Is it sad that I am more likely to recognize you and your posts by your sig than your name or UID?
  4. Re:This fixes touchscreens by Diamon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just hope your PIN doesn't have a zero in it.

  5. Re:Slashdot logins are busted by PotatoFarmer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nope, came in under my regular account name. Unless, of course, this is the imposter posting again...

  6. Re:This fixes touchscreens by Jeremy+Erwin · · Score: 3, Funny

    And with a bit of effort, one could even offset the screen and the buttons, so that the user is not intuitively aware of a connection between button A and function A.

  7. Re:Slashdot logins are busted by amentajo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Awesome. It showed my proper account name, PotatoFarmer, both times. I guess it's just a display error, then.

  8. Re:This fixes touchscreens by JCSoRocks · · Score: 2, Funny

    Then you can instruct the user to hit "Yes" or "No" but the only buttons are labeled "Enter" and "Cancel". So much fun!

    --
    You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.