If you ask somebody, anybody, even people who don't really have much in common with the world of technology, to describe the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear the term “touch sensitive,” most of them will probably say “a display,” and even more something related to Apple's iPhone. However, this conception might change quite a lot in the future, due to the fact that a company called Sensitive Object has developed a technology called Anywhere MultiTouch, which can pretty much turn any part of a product into a touch-sensitive control system.

The Anywhere MultiTouch is an enhancement of ReverSys technology invented and patented by Sensitive Object. It is based on the recognition of sound waves propagated in an object when the user touches it. A touch on an object produces a pattern of sound waves through the material, which creates an acoustic signature that is unique to the location of the impact.

Sensitive Object had the idea to associate this acoustic signature to a precise action in order to create a touch screen or touch-controlled panel. This association is managed by proprietary signal processing algorithms combined with software: a touch at a precise place generates a precise action. A simple glass panel equipped with two piezoelectric sensors is used to detect sound waves and to determine the acoustic signature. If the signature is recognized, the action is operated; if not, nothing happens.

This new platform, available at a very competitive price, is multi-touch, Windows 7 compliant, offers handwriting recognition and palm rejection. Anywhere MultiTouch offers touch-sensitivity on the whole surface of the product, regardless of the specific type of product, and works with various materials such as glass, aluminum and plastics.

For the time being, no actual applications of this amazing technology have been announced, but given the fact that touch-enabled controls are becoming more and more popular as we speak, it's very likely that we'll see many devices using it arrive in the near future.


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