iPad rekindles haptic discussion

Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple, claims that the ‘magical’ device would provide the best browsing experience people have ever had, allowing them to ‘hold the whole world in their hands’ by controlling actions with their fingertips.

But according to Stephen Brewster, a professor of human-computer interaction at Glasgow University, it won’t be long before a host of new computer-interface systems will allow people to have a far more immersive experience of these devices.

‘At the moment you have a featureless, blank screen,’ he said. ‘We’re looking at making this into something more interesting, with 3D surfaces. So people are looking at technology to project up above the surface with ultrasound and potentially feel something over the screen of the device.’

Brewster added that this work could extend to deforming the screen itself using inflatable membranes. ‘You can imagine your Google maps might be a physical 3D landscape on your screen, or buttons could pop up to provide a more sensory experience.’