Microsoft Research Shows High Performance Touch Screen
As much as we praise modern touch screens and the user model they enable today, we also know that their applications areas are very limited and only work in scenarios in which their latency does not matter much.
Researchers at Microsoft claim to have developed a touch screen display that improves touch screen latency by a factor of 100, which could open the door to new opportunities, such as capable touch screen keyboards.
According to Microsoft's Paul Dietz, current touchscreen displays have an input latency of about 100 ms, which is responsible for the noticeable delay between the input happens and when it is shown. In a video demonstration, Dietz showed a 10 ms latency screen that changed the delay of a movable virtual object on the screen to a rubber band impression. A 1 ms delay version came close to what we would perceive to be as almost no delay. Microsoft has such a display working in its labs, but Dietz stated that it was only a research object and a device which Microsoft would like to see becoming available over the next decade, so don't get too excited just yet. When it is available, applications may be able to add a dimension of practicality when actual hand drawing on the screen may be as realistic as it is when we are drawing on a piece of paper.
Personally, I would hope that such a technology could pave the way to touchscreen keyboards that are serious replacements for today's physical keyboards. Imagine tablets that have fully functional keyboards that you can use for fast typing and ultrabooks that do not require physical keys anymore.
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Douglas Perry was a freelance writer for Tom's Hardware covering semiconductors, storage technology, quantum computing, and processor power delivery. He has authored several books and is currently an editor for The Oregonian/OregonLive.
-
JOSHSKORN This whole touch screen thing is like 3D...a gimmick. it's not going to last, at least not for a Desktop PC. The market will be limited for it, again, on a Desktop PC.Reply
Now, on a tablet or phone...different story.
I hear more and more about how some are saying that Desktop PCs will go away. Well, I'm starting to believe that, but I still think we're a bit too far away for that to happen. At least, not until a Smart Phone can run something like Crysis or be powerful enough to run video editing programs on a docking station. Until that happens, Desktop PCs are here to stay. Give it a couple more years, though. -
alidan how about pressure sensitive, and penable touch screens? i can deal with lag if the experiences is improved significantly.Reply -
DSpider Does anyone else feel a sharp sting on the tip of their finger when using their iPod touch/iPhone/iPad for a while? This is most noticeable when I'm using it for reading comics/manga and I have to constantly pan left and right, up and down, pinch to zoom, etc. Seriously, my finger gets numb all the way to the knuckle after about an hour or so.Reply
Electrical impulses beneath the glass currently have a 100 ms latency? If they bring it down to "1 ms" (100x faster) then I'm guessing that this will be felt a lot more and a lot faster. -
alidan JOSHSKORNThis whole touch screen thing is like 3D...a gimmick. it's not going to last, at least not for a Desktop PC. The market will be limited for it, again, on a Desktop PC.Now, on a tablet or phone...different story.I hear more and more about how some are saying that Desktop PCs will go away. Well, I'm starting to believe that, but I still think we're a bit too far away for that to happen. At least, not until a Smart Phone can run something like Crysis or be powerful enough to run video editing programs on a docking station. Until that happens, Desktop PCs are here to stay. Give it a couple more years, though.Reply
you posted this while i was writeing my post so i didnt see it.
3d isnt a gimmick, watch a well done movie (not a 3d conversion) or a game that properly implements it (uncharted 3) and you will understand
just like touch on a desktop... yea it sucks, but like i said, make the experience better.
try using a wacom monitor, you can see touch working if it was like that. -
EDVINASM Nice to see a demo how touch screen SHOULD behave. Even nicer to know that it is possible and in progress to be made.Reply -
DSpider This will probably be fine for vertical information screens. Your arm will get tired before you experience any of the effects I mentioned above.Reply
But then again, a Kinect-like interface is much better. You wouldn't have to touch something that 10.000 other complete strangers have touched. I look at demo tablets in stores (especially the iPad) and I cringe on how much oil and dust and lint they have attached. You can literary roll a few small balls off the screen. -
jimoreon 1ms, wow, milestone achievement.. can't imagine what happened for next 10 years aheadReply -
spleenbegone alidanyou posted this while i was writeing my post so i didnt see it. 3d isnt a gimmick, watch a well done movie (not a 3d conversion) or a game that properly implements it (uncharted 3) and you will understandjust like touch on a desktop... yea it sucks, but like i said, make the experience better.try using a wacom monitor, you can see touch working if it was like that.I've had the privilege to use a Wacom monitor before, it's an absolutely amazing experience and I can only hope that one day they get within my budget. So I can absolutely see this working in a desktop environment, but I believe we're still going to need a mouse and keyboard to go along with it. I don't think the form of a desktop will change, but what can be done with it will with this (and other) technology.Reply