A new input technology: Skinput!

[DreymaR]

Check it out!
Chris Harrison's Skinput project

Obviously it isn't there yet. But using your skin as an input device without having to implant anything is intrigueing! I've sometimes used my fingers to simulate a music instrument when thinking about a melody, and now there's a device that in the near future could actually record my finger presses.

It's tactile as hell, and should be an ergonomic success if done right. Obviously that collar will be a lot lighter in the future so there won't be a lot of hardware you need to lug around. You could easily sit almost anywhere and type with this. Maybe the electroacoustics will be supplemented by skin resistance measurements, nerve signal measurements or who knows what?

I'm thinking you'd hit your palms with your fingertip to produce input, a bit like the DataHand but with palm positions instead of directions maybe?

Fascinating.

[hyperlinked]

Cool idea, but boy will you look like you just climbed over the wall of the crazy house when you're poking yourself all over in public.

Hey, are you trying to put out a fire under your shirt or are you just texting?

[microsoft windows]

I heard about a project like that going on at MIT.

[Nonmouse]

But is it clicky?

[kishy]

But is it clicky?

You'd probably wanna see a doctor if it was.

[EverythingIBM]

You'd probably wanna see a doctor if it was.

Nah, that just means you have buckling spring implants.

[DreymaR]

It's doubly tactile instead of clicky: You'll feel it both in your finger and on your skin. I'm pretty sure that with all that tactility going on you should have an easy time learning when actuation happens. But the question is interesting.

[HaaTa]

Something like that would probably really bug me. Sorta like someone continually tapping on your shoulder, either you begin to ignore it, or you blow up in rage.

And what happens if you have long nails, and you start tapping very emotionally. You could do some serious damage to yourself.

Neat idea overall though.

[DreymaR]

Try tapping your own arm, or tickling yourself for that matter. See, it's a huge difference between what you consciously do to yourself and an unexpected stimulus from an outside source.

As I mentioned, I've been tapping melodies in my palms for years. It's really very pleasant.

Depending on how it's done, I think that you could do this with quite long nails without problem. I'd assess that you could have at least as long nails as you can on a conventional keyboard. Good thing you added that emoticon to show that you weren't serious.  

[HaaTa]

Like I said, I think its a good idea, and could be quite usable.

My reaction to outside stimulus and self stimulus is about the same (tickling my own feet is next to unbearable), I do know however that I'm an anomaly in this regard. So I always laugh when people say its scientifically proven you can't tickle yourself.

Rather than my arm, I'd prefer on the side of my thigh. More comfortable while sitting. Though you may have to be wearing short shorts (or less) to do that.

I'm mostly interested in nerve signal measurement. If I can get some equipment together there are some ideas I want to test out.

[EverythingIBM]

Like I said, I think its a good idea, and could be quite usable.

My reaction to outside stimulus and self stimulus is about the same (tickling my own feet is next to unbearable), I do know however that I'm an anomaly in this regard. So I always laugh when people say its scientifically proven you can't tickle yourself.

Rather than my arm, I'd prefer on the side of my thigh. More comfortable while sitting. Though you may have to be wearing short shorts (or less) to do that.

I'm mostly interested in nerve signal measurement. If I can get some equipment together there are some ideas I want to test out.

No matter how many unconventional ways people devise for keyboarding, there will always be the nerds protesting in their basements with the yellowing keyboards and ball mice.

[HaaTa]

Hey, I only got a yellow keyboard, and I haven't lived in a basement for well over a year.

[DreymaR]

I think that nerve signal measurement sounds cool. However, so far it hasn't proved practical I think. I sure as hell haven't seen anything remotely useful in that area yet. Triggering a fire button or two doesn't cut it - we need lots and lots of buttons here. But yeah, who knows how fast they'll progress with it? So far, I think the Skinput idea looks closer to realization.

Another thought I've had is measuring skin galvanics. That might be very fast and precise. Nerve signal measurement is fast but imprecise and the signals are weak. But feel free to prove me wrong, hehe.

I'd think that you might be able to tap your trousers since they're measuring sonoacoustics and not skin galvanics. I agree that tapping my thighs sounds very ergonomic.

[HaaTa]

I really haven't seen anything realistic yet on nerve signal measurement. Most of the things you see are really just looking for muscle impulses (i.e. cheating).

My current idea that I want to test out, is taking not just one signal, but many signals at multiple points along the nerve path. Then do some calibration and such, that way I can single out the nerve signals I want.
Currently this is all armchair atm. Though once I get back to Canada I'm gonna put some equipment together to test it out. Because if it works even moderately well (on crappy equipment), I have some cool ideas to put it against.

Edit.
Reading your Portable Keyboard Layout posts today at work, awesome work . Needed to swap Insert for Esc, CapsLock for Control, and Numpad 5 Function for Down (like on the Model F AT). Next thing I want to do is map the actual left Control to swap the layout from Colemak to QWERTY.