Microsoft prototypes a motion sensing keyboard

[Grond]

And for some reason they call it "mechanical".

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/pro ... overswipe/

I have mixed feelings towards this. Gestures may be awkward, but if they are provide enough precision this could be interesting. But I think you're still going to need a mouse or another pointing device alongside this.

[Muirium]

I sense a buzzword:

We present a new type of augmented mechanical keyboard, sensing rich and expressive motion gestures performed both on and directly above the device. A low-resolution matrix of infrared (IR) proximity sensors is interspersed with the keys of a regular mechanical keyboard.

The reason they are using "mechanical" is because it sounds cool. People like those, right?

But the meaning they are using it for is "anything with moving keys".

[matt3o]

I find it very interesting, I would never use it, but interesting technology nonetheless.

[Grond]

The reason they are using "mechanical" is because it sounds cool. People like those, right?

If they intend to make it cool for gamers it's ironic, because the biggest fail you can see in the video is the "virtual steering wheel"! The video editor was clever enough to fade to black quickly, but you may still see the race car fail.

[acfrazier]

Honestly looks like they just slapped micro leap motion devices between the keys. I see nothing new here.

[Halvar]

Sure, and Kinect was only just a camera and a laser diode. Nothing new there.

I think this could be interesting if I don't need a mouse any more. However, they would need a UI that's designed for being used with only these gestures and the keyboard, without the good old pointing and clicking (or touching) and I don't really see that yet.