Category: Input

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Input

Hashkey dedicated keyboard lets you #beonewiththehashtag

The last decade has seen the humble little hashtag shoot to meteoric heights of global importance due to the prevalence of Twitter pretty much everywhere. No one saw it coming, and even the hashtag itself doesn’t even know what to make of it. What used to be the lowly pound symbol on a telephone is now a global phenomenon, and what better way to acknowledge that than taking it off its shared space on the keyboard and giving it its own digs?

The HashKey is a USB-connected single key keyboard featuring the star of the show, the hashtag. That’s literally it. The entire thing is all really tongue-in-cheek and charming, and most will pop a smile watching the campaign try to jokingly convince potential backers of the economic impact of the time wasted finding the hashtag. The HashKey is reminiscent of Art Lebedev’s mini keyboards, but where those have OLED displays that are customizable the HashKey is dedicated. In any case, a Bluetooth connection rather than a wired connection for the HashKey would’ve been nice considering its £17 (~$26) price tag. The campaign is looking for £15,000 (~$23,300) to ship out this social media novelty by March 2015.

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Cell Phone Accessories Input

GoGlove comes in handy for controlling music via gestures

The devices in our life are so incredibly useful, but sometimes that utility can get in the way. Who hasn’t felt somewhat idiotic taking out their phone to do one thing and return it, only to realize within a few seconds that it needs to be fished out again for something else? Headphones with remote controls have alleviated some of that juggling we do but haven’t truly disconnected us from our touchscreen overlords.

The GoGlove wants to make it easier to handle your devices by allowing you to wirelessly initiate a wide variety of actions with just a few finger taps. To use it, a tap of your middle finger activates the gloves and awaits other taps. When input, these taps can do everything from raise the volume of your favorite tunes to begin a recording session on your GoPro, ensuring that you won’t have to stop running or dig deep in your pockets for your device. Each finger on the GoGlove is fully customizable to suit your needs with its iOS or Android companion app, and its Bluetooth LE connection allows for an estimated battery life of a few years of normal use. When weather makes the use of this glove impractical, its embedded remote can be removed for use as well.

The GoGlove will no doubt be useful, especially because it can easily be worn underneath another glove when it gets really frigid out. But the number of actions available looks fairly limited, but there is some work being done in that area so we can expect some more uses out of it. The GoGlove is going for $99, which is $30 off its eventual MSRP. For backers, $40,000 is the magic number that will get this product their hands by June 2015.

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Input

Tiny Swiftpoint GT mouse offers touchscreen gestures without screen touching

The introduction of the touch-centric Windows 8 and the impending advent of its big brother, Windows 10, have given manufacturers headaches in trying to figure out how to best design a computing system comfortable enough to take advantage of their features. Trying to reign its many tiles along with getting the start menu under control with an ordinary mouse just doesn’t cut it. Although trackpads have fared OK, even touchscreen laptop combinations have come up short.

The Swiftpoint GT is a extremely compact mouse with the ability to use natural touch gestures in a non-touch environment. Its ergonomic design has a point-and-click mode with which all the standard mouse functions are available, but the magic begins with a light press of toggle at its front. A comfortable pen-like grip facilitates natural touch screen gestures like scrolling and flicking with natural motions of the wrist, so as to avoid the dreaded crab claw that results from long periods of mouse use.

It sports a Bluetooth LE connection for up to several weeks use, and a separate USB dongle should the computer it’s used with not be equipped with it which doubles as its rapid charger: just 30 seconds of charging time gives user one hour of use. The Swiftpoint GT goes for $93 and should the campaign reach its $25,000 goal, backers should receive their very own December 2014.

The Swiftpoint GT can also be used with an iPad or Android device as well, but the former exists only more as a portal to Windows than anything else. In addition, learning an entirely new manner of input may actually might make using Windows more difficult for some, especially since left-handed users are left out in the cold. Still, the Swiftpoint GT seems like a must have for Windows users who can grasp its benefits, and probably is a bit easier to swallow than the ThumbTrack — fellow hardware manufacturers should take note.

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Augmented Reality Input

Nimble Sense brings virtual reality the input devices you were born with

Virtual reality technology is on the brink of reaching the average consumer after decades of failed vision and false promises. While head tracking and immersive headsets are great, the next level of immersion comes from a sense of touch rather than just using a keyboard and mouse.

The Nimble Sense is a hand-tracking camera created by Nimble VR, a company with years of experience working in the biggest tech companies and a history of focusing on hand-tracking technology. With this, their first proprietary camera, they are offering a gesture control and navigation system not just for gamers looking to lose themselves in a fantasy world, but also something that can have a wide variety of applications across a number of real-world situations.

Like the Kinect camera that Microsoft bundles with its Xbox consoles, the Nimble Sense creates a 3-D point cloud to track motion, depth, and gestures. With 110 degrees of vision and the ability to be mounted in any number of devices, the thin but powerful Nimble Sense is great for adding intuitive functionality to any piece of compatible technology. The 70 centimeter range also allows for any length of arms and less restrictive motion. Nimble VR needs $62,500 to complete design, testing, tooling, and production of the Sense. Supporters can reach out and grab one for only $99, with an expected release of June 2015.

By focusing exclusively on the hands, the Nimble Sense should offer a greater sense of accuracy and precision than many other motion cameras available, and will be a great companion for any Oculus Rift buyers. At this point, however, the technology is largely for novelty purposes, and it’s hard to think of existing practical applications for this product. Creators and VR enthusiasts will love it, others may want to let the technology continue to develop.

 

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Input

ZmartframeMax giant touch screen lets you pinch and zoom across a room

Ever since the major news and sports networks began to roll out giant touch screens that provide the simplicity of tablet control with the presentation of a large monitor, the personal market has patiently waited for their turn.

ZmartframeMax (from the makers of Zmartframe) is a mountable, self-assembled frame that can go over any surface. By combining ZmartframeMax with any projector it then turns the area inside, as large as 70” diagonally, into a fully functional multi-touch display. The frame also includes an embedded Android operating system, but is compatible with touch-enabled versions of Microsoft Windows as well. ZmartFrame GowinTec, the makers of the ZmartframeMax, have set a fundraising goal of $50,000. The ZmartframeMax starts at $288 and backers can choose from five of the standard sizes, or can have one custom-built if they need a specific size for more. The product is expected to release in November.

The idea of being able to replicate the wall-sized touch displays from movies and television is an exciting one, and people are sure to take notice if a product like this fits their needs either personally or professionally. The problem is that as with the Zmartframe and another touch display converters , performance isn’t always optimal and even in the introduction video, the input seems to lag behind. It’s a neat idea, but the execution just might not be there yet for a product such as this. For now, it may make more sense for business professionals with a presentation to give to connect their tablets to projectors and control them from their hands.

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Input

Neo Smartpen N2 sends your scribbles to your smartphone

Only a select few smart pens have really stood out as serious contenders in the digital marketplace. The N2 by NeoLAB intends to follow in the footsteps of heavyweights like LiveScribe and Equil by offering the syncing features we’re all used to, but with a few extras to set itself apart. The pen’s versatility comes from its compatibility with industry standard D1 ink, the ability to import anything created into Photoshop or Illustrator for further tweaking, voice recording, and PDF editing and annotation to round it all out.

The Mimoto pen has also tried to break the mold by moonlighting as a stylus for touch screens, but in the end most smart pens are entirely too similar. The N2 does a valiant job differentiating itself with its feature set and the ability for users to print their own proprietary paper rather than be stuck if they’re out. If it’s up your alley, the basic package goes for $99 and comes with one N2 and a notebook.

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Input Technology

Tactalis is so close to revolutionizing touch screen technology, it can feel it

The Premise. Almost every device on the market these days needs a touch screen in order to succeed, as the newest wave of input allows users to interact with their devices in a natural, convenient way. Still, where touch displays should make things easier, without anything to feel by, a touch screen is useless to those who lack other senses.

The Product. Touching buttons to launch apps is one thing, but being able to feel them and identify them without necessarily pressing them is what the Tactalis Origin Tactile Computer offers. Using a metal stylus or a magnetic ring, the Tactalis system puts a system of switches and magnets under any LCD panel, creating a sensation of touch for any image that is normally displayed as a static, flat representation. Additionally, Tactalis is pushing itself as a marketplace of software that utilizes this technology, allowing an entire niche market of apps that can be felt to be developed on the platform, giving vision impaired users access to programs and features that many already take for granted.

The Pitch. The core concept behind Tactalis isn’t just altruistic, it’s also cool. Their campaign materials do a great job of blending these two core aspects of the product’s identity, focusing as much on what adding the sensation of touch can add to existing programs as it does on what said features will enable the blind community to do as far as independent travel, work, and learn. Tactalis is trying to get their hands on $40,000 CAD to bring the Origin Tactile Computer to the masses.

The Perks. With plenty of reward tiers, it’s not until the $2,500 CAD level that backers can actually (and literally) get their hands on an Origin Tactile Computer powered by Tactalis. For twice as much money, at the $5,000 CAD level, the Origin Tactile Computer will come with a carrying case, an accessory pack, and a license offering free access to all Tactalis software. All perks are set to arrive in May 2015.

The Potential. Any technology that offers accessibility to a group of people that currently lack it is sure to make a big splash. The Tactalis Origin Tactile Computer brings back the dimension of touch to devices that have for too long lacked such a feature. While it may seem like nothing more than a novel and unnecessary idea to the bulk of the touch screen-using community, blind users would be able to navigate and use the Internet in a new and intuitive way that can better relay important information. It’s not the first attempt at a tactile display, but the more practical approach using magnets as opposed to a dynamically raised display seems to give it a nod ahead of Tactus in terms of speed to market.

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Cell Phone Accessories Input Tablet Accessories

FlyShark chomps into the need for typing on the go

The Premise. Although smartphone and tablet keyboards are generally acceptable for writing in short bursts, more involved work ultimately requires the physicality of a Bluetooth keyboard. Unfortunately, many of these keyboards are just badly designed leading to unnecessary typing mistakes, and even the more responsive ones can be bulky, even if they fold.

The Product. Flyshark is a Bluetooth keyboard compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows 8 platforms that keeps a slim profile when folded. When unfolded, each full-size key retains that clicky and tactile experience people expect when they type on a physical keyboard, with a life of an estimated five million button presses per key.

An aluminum alloy shell joined together by composite aerospace plastic makes the keyboard extremely sturdy without adding unnecessary heft to the final 130g product. Flyshark also touts a low power Broadcom Bluetooth chip inside the unit giving it a standby time of 60 hours. With white, black, silver, and gold color options along with the choice of a laser engraved set of words or picture, each Flyshark Keyboard is extremely customizable to suit anyone’s needs.

The Pitch. Flyshark’s Kickstarter page is full of detailed information that can veer into the confusing. The video of the product, although certainly not the best, does a great job explaining what the product is and, more importantly, comparing the Flyshark to other competing products (most notably Microsoft’s Surface keyboard). In the video, you also get the chance to check out the build quality and exactly how impressively small it is. Flyshark is aiming for an influx of $30,000 to both mass produce and market the product.

The Perks. Flyshark is offering the retail product in exchange for a contribution of $55. Increments of $10-$15 give you the choice of different color and engraving options. The product is due to ship in September, which would be a contrast to the painful two-year wait backers of crowdfunded Jorno keyboard have endured.

The Potential. Although foldable Bluetooth keyboards are nothing new, Flyshark’s blend of minimalism and materials looks like a strong alternative to what’s out there. Its size and aluminum alloy construction come together in a slim design that will certainly attract those hankering for a comfortable typing solution on the go without having to entertain novel ways to type.. Travelers, businesspeople and students will have their eye on this one.

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Input Video Games

Trinity Magnum lets you virtually bring a gun to a keyboard and mouse fight

The Premise. Since video games became a cultural phenomenon, gamers and developers alike have craved ways to become a part of the game. After 20 years of stalling and failing to launch, virtual reality headsets are on the brink of becoming the next big thing in gaming. Now it’s time to gear up with the weapons to survive the games.

The Product. The Trinity Magnum is a motion controller designed to handle and feel like a gun, the kind of which one would find in any first-person shooter. With one- or two-handed grips, a trigger, two joysticks, and four buttons, the Magnum is intuitively compatible with a number of titles regardless of genre. With a 9-axis IMU and optical tracking using a compatible camera, 1:1 motion is offered with no drift and maximum accuracy.

The Pitch. The launch video for Trinity Magnum is exactly what those who follow the gaming industry should expect. With hands-on footage from Game Developer’s Conference and testimonials from developers and users alike, it’s easy to get excited by what’s on display. The campaign itself goes into more detail regarding compatibility and functionality, as well as existing partnerships for the device. TrinityVR are shooting for a goal of $60,000 to assemble and test the prototype before finalizing and shipping the Magnum.

The Perks. A Magnum Developer Kit can be scored for $80 and will be out by the end of the year complete with SDK and the gun itself, though a compatible camera will need to be picked up elsewhere. Higher tiers simply offer multiple Trinity Magnums.

The Potential. As is pointed out in the pitch video, virtual reality gaming is all about immersion, and a VR headset is just half the battle. The technology behind the Trinity Magnum should make it an incredibly powerful tool in bringing games to life. Unfortunately, some of that realism might be lost through the current prototype design, which looks a bit like a Wii Zapper and a PlayStation Move controller had a baby as opposed to resembling a gun. The other issue this campaign might run into is focusing only on backers receiving development kits: which is great news for designers, but more than the average gamer needs. Add to this that an OpenCV camera is required, and there’s something that’s a really great piece of technology, but maybe a little too rough around the edges to really sell VR equipment.

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Input Tech Accessories

Motus leads the movement for new desktop controls

The Premise. Aside from the stubborn curmudgeons and the technologically impaired, people need more than a keyboard and mouse these days. Touch screens and mobile devices have brought about simpler, more intuitive methods of controlling a computer. Now it’s time for those controls to become part of all computing experiences, including the desktop.

The Product. Motus may look like a tablet, and may control like a tablet, but it certainly has some new tricks up its sleeve. Connecting to computers over Bluetooth 4.0, Motus sits well on the side of the keyboard opposite the mouse, giving users the ability to use gesture controls in the space above the Motus itself to pan, zoom, rotate, scroll, and more. Motus is designed to be comfortable, intuitive, and allow three-dimensional concepts to find their way into the computer control scheme. Motus also has 15 touch capacitive buttons that owners can customize and program to do any functions that they may need quick access to.

The Pitch. Motus is an attractive piece of tech with an exciting feature set, and Ideas Un Limited knows this, so their campaign video focuses on the excitement of using the device and the sleek look of the product itself. A good portion of the campaign itself covers the design process of the Motus and the tech that goes inside of the device, with some tutorial and introduction videos sprinkled throughout. Ideas Un Limited needs $128,000 CAD to make using a Motus a reality for most consumers, and also has a stretch goal in place at $250,000 CAD for some different colors for the device.

The Perks. In order to get their hands on and above a Motus, backers will need to pledge $149 CAD and wait until November 2014. Developers who want to push the abilities of the device can get one of the very first devices available and have open access via phone and email with the hardware developers for $600 CAD.

The Potential. The personal computer is long overdue for an overhauled control scheme, but a big hurdle that needs to be overcome is designing an operating system with new controls in mind. Windows 8 took a big step in this direction, and the programmability of the Motus should make it flexible to handle any task with enough setup, but until a device like this is big enough to get native integration to a popular OS, it might be more of a struggle to get it working properly than it is to just stick with a keyboard and mouse for now while devices like this and Motix (sense a “mot“if?) try to find a lasting foothold in the PC market.