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Tap Tech Brings Touch To Dumb Phones

Posted by timothy on from the now-that's-clever dept.

nk497 writes "A Cambridge-based firm has come up with a way to bring touch interfaces to phones without touchscreens. According to TouchDevice, the system uses the microphone to turn any surface on a handset into a touch-sensitive input panel by analysing sound signatures. 'For example, where icons are displayed on a non-touch screen display, you could tap on there and it would activate the application,' said founder Mike Bradley. TouchDevice believes there are two markets for the technology: firstly to augment input potential in touchcreen smartphones, and secondly as a way of adding touch to 'dumb' displays. The system should be making its way into devices by early next year."

6 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. New excuse for drunk-dialing your ex... by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "I dropped my phone, and the microphone-based touch detection interpreted as calling your number!"

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  2. Re:A boon for the touch phone knock off makers. by Anomalyx · · Score: 1, Funny

    If it doesn't work as well and is more expensive, expect to see Apple adopt it.

    Fixed that for ya

    Hey, it's the same thing they did with the antenna...

    --
    No, there is no "-1 I'LL NEVER ADMIT BEING WRONG!!!" mod.
  3. I should have waited... by gsarig · · Score: 2, Funny

    2 weeks ago I said goodbye to my 4 year old Sony Ericcsson K750i, and bought an iPhone... If I knew about that device, I would have waited... :P

  4. Re:neat but no. by by+(1706743) · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you are screaming in an argument, then you have already lost.

    NOT TRUE!!! SCREAMING IN AN ARGUMENT MAKES YOU MORE RIGHT!!!

    (This bit down here is to appease /.'s filters, as it thinks I'm yelling...no sense of humor at all.)

  5. Re:A boon for the touch phone knock off makers. by Jurily · · Score: 4, Funny

    Cant wait to see the 10$ iPhony cell phones that use this rather then an actual touch screen.

    Could we just let the whole touchscreen idea die instead? Please?

  6. Re:A boon for the touch phone knock off makers. by shri · · Score: 2, Funny

    And I cant wait to see what happens to those iPhonys at a Stomp concert. :)