typehover

A newly surfaced Microsoft Research project embeds an array of sensors into a physical keyboard to let users interact with a computer by swiping their hands across the keys, or moving their hands in the air above the keyboard.

Still a research prototype for now, the project is the latest attempt by Microsoft and other tech companies (including Leap Motion) to give people new ways of controlling computers and devices with gestures. The project was presented at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2014, where it won the Best Paper Award.

Microsoft’s approach is different in that its keyboard combines traditional typing with gestures. Check out a video demo of the “Type-Hover-Swipe” prototype below.

No word on when this approach might be brought to market. The company’s research unit works on a wide variety of projects that may or may not ultimately make it into the company’s products.

(Via WinBeta)

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