Touchscreens that touch back

The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas this week has seen the debut of an interesting new technology that enables touchscreens to generate tactile cues, promoting a more intuitive and engaging experience. Users perceive that on-screen buttons press and release as if they were physical buttons. In addition, TouchSense tactile sensations can be synchronized with sound and graphical images, creating a more immersive, multisensory experience. Quite clearly the technology will initially be used in the lucrative gambling industry, but we can expect much richer information kiosks and touch screen user interfaces in the future. Touchscreens are increasingly used in casino gaming devices to provide a direct and flexible user interface for on-screen buttons that dynamically change from screen to screen or game to game. Growing numbers of game machines let users choose from a variety of preloaded games. New technology will allow devices to be reconfigured by the operator in real time to tailor the mix offered to suit the time-of-day or clientele.

Source: gizmag.co.ukAdded: 2 June 2006