Mitsubishi demonstrates 3D touchscreen

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 13 Mar 2009 at 12:04

Mitsubishi has developed a "3D touch panel" for smartphones that can detect your finger's distance from the screen, opening up a whole new range of functions.

Unlike other 3D displays, Mitsubishi's prototype doesn't depend on external cameras or equipment. Instead the device uses integrated copper electrodes to detect an approaching finger.

The 5.7in, 640 x 480, capacitive touchscreen measures finger distance in steps of about 0.08mm, up to a distance of 20mm.

The company claims it can do this so quickly it can also guess approach speed. Swiping a finger over the screen quickly, for example, could allow you to change to another screen, while a slower swipe allows you to scroll.

In the demonstration Mitsubish showed how hovering a finger over different parts of a map brought up relevant pictures and information to do with that area.

In another demonstration a finger hovering over an icon brought up new context menus, useful on single click devices such as the iPhone.

Mitsubishi was keen to point out this wasn't mere proof of concept, but a technology it intends to use in its own products, though it was giving no indication of when.