A patent has been awarded for a hover sensitive device that accepts input from finger movements above the device’s display.
The patent, by Apple, describes the usage of “real world” gestures to control the device equipped with a touch or hover-sensitive interface.
The finger and hand movements, such as a circle to select or an X to delete, could identify users and restrict access to protected files, information and applications. This could be hugely beneficial in industries including security or banking.
Further simple movements include a knock to inquire and more.
Filed in 2007, the patent requires a computer system with a touch sensor panel that has hover detecting capability and a proximity sensor.
As for what computing system it is, the patent details do not explain.
A similar copyright, for hover-enabled surface on a portable device such as an iPhone, was filed in early 2007 too.
Patents like this could quite easily influence, affect and expand the future of touch screen technology, and therefore has a direct impact on the consumer and business’ services; altering the consumer’s experience and the usage of a kiosk.