Tag Archives: trackpad

This ‘Trackpad For Your Mouth’ lets people with limited mobility use their tongues to control cursors

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Putting the edge of computing at the tip of your tongue…

Meet MouthPad, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Designed by the folks at Augmental (a spin-off of the MIT Media Lab), the MouthPad is a Bluetooth-powered mouthpiece that lets anyone control electronic appliances with their tongue. A touch-sensitive panel sits against the roof of your mouth, allowing you to use your tongue as a finger of sorts to navigate interfaces. Tongue taps are registered as left clicks, while mouth gestures like pursing your lips (pouting duckface, for the Millennial and Gen Z readers) registers a right click. Through the MouthPad, individuals can now perform a variety of tasks with just their tongues. These tasks include sending emails, illuminating a room, enhancing photographs, and even engaging in video games. Additionally, Augmental guarantees that the mouthpiece’s sleek design will not impede speech, allowing users to communicate verbally with ease while wearing the device.

Designer: Augmental

Every year, nearly half a million people suffer a spinal injury globally. The effects of these can be as complex as losing all mobility from your neck down, leaving you with just your mouth to communicate as well as control devices. Up until now, devices like the QuadStick have been the standard, with a joystick that you bite down on and control with your mouth. The MouthPad offers a much more discreet and nuanced input method, turning your tongue into an 11th finger that can be used to move cursors and interact with interfaces. The tongue is a uniquely nimble and flexible organ. Touted as one of the strongest muscles in the body, the tongue’s muscular system is complex, allowing it to move in a variety of directions, and making it a perfect organ to control the MouthPad.

The MouthPad is an intraoral interface no sleeker than a pair of invisible braces. Designed to fit onto your palate, the MouthPad has a surface that responds to touch, letting you control it with your tongue in the same way you would use your finger on a trackpad. The electronics rest within a 3D-printed brace made from dental-grade resin, with a battery unit and SoC located on the side, sitting between your teeth and your inner cheek. All the electronics are enclosed within the resin, so they never interact with saliva.

The saliva, however, does present a unique challenge. If you’ve ever tried using your phone with wet fingers, you know that it’s close to impossible. The water interferes with the touch-input, registering all sorts of wrong inputs. The Augmental team, however, mentions that this ‘wet touchpad’ is smart enough to mitigate the effects of the saliva-coated tongue, using machine-learning to accurately register input.

Bespoke-designed for the wearer, the MouthPad fits snugly into the user’s mouth, with a design that feels comfortable enough to be worn for hours at an end. It doesn’t need any software to run, working quite like a Bluetooth mouse, and is compatible with all popular desktop and mobile platforms. The battery gives it 5+ hours of continuous use, and once done, the MouthPad can be kept back in its case which doubles as its charging station.

“As our lives become increasingly intertwined with technology, and the world expands from the physical to the digital, it’s more important than ever to ensure that everyone has equal access to control inputs and new interfaces,” says Tomás Vega, Co-Founder and engineer at Augmental. The company developed and tested prototype units on people with limited mobility and quadriplegia with great success and a fairly positive response, and are now looking to also extend the MouthPad’s use to ‘hands-busy’ scenarios such as surgeons, gamers, astronauts, lab technicians, and factory-line workers. The MouthPad is currently available to potential buyers in the US, who can sign up to be on the waitlist.

The post This ‘Trackpad For Your Mouth’ lets people with limited mobility use their tongues to control cursors first appeared on Yanko Design.

Dell XPS 13 Plus tries to evolve the laptop with questionable features

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Laptops have become the go-to computing solutions of people, be it for personal use or for work. They have reached a point where they can match desktop computers in all but the most specialized cases, though the ability to expand their power through things like external graphics docks evens out the score as well. Laptop design, in general, has remained the same in the past few decades, at least as far as the placement of components goes. Some have, of course, become thinner and lighter have almost all but banished bezels, but the placement of screens, keys, and trackpads are more or less standard by now (even if keyboard layouts aren’t). Dell, however, is trying to mix things up a bit to make the laptop look more futuristic and less busy, but it raises some important questions about the usability and ergonomics of such a new design.

Designer: Dell

Laptop Ergonomics

One can argue that laptops have never been the most ergonomic computing devices in the first place. Their overall design was meant to make a computer more portable, going as far as being able to use it on your lap. The strain it puts on your legs and neck, and the angle of your arms and wrist have made laptops have made the earliest laptops the anti-thesis of ergonomics.

Things have improved over the decades, but more thanks to accessories and peripherals rather than the actual design of laptops themselves. The position and angle of the screen, keys, and touchpad still don’t lend themselves well to good posture, and manufacturers haven’t exactly been too keen on changing a working formula. Instead, the likes of Dell, ASUS, and Lenovo have tried to reinvent the laptop with features that drastically change how you use it.

ASUS, for example, has been putting a second screen right above the keyboard, which ends up pushing the keyboard further down. This means that the traditional trackpad is given the boot, though technically, it has been relocated to the right side as a configurable second screen. Lenovo takes that to the extreme by actually putting a tablet-sized display to the right of the keyboard, though the trackpad is still there, now off to the left instead of dead center.

Dell XPS 13 Plus

Compared to those two, Dell’s big changes to the laptop design almost look modest, though they carry their own head-scratching moments. In a nutshell, the new Dell XPS 13 Plus embraces minimalism to its fullest, giving the area opposite the display a completely flat look. That means no bumps and almost no gaps save for what’s necessary for the keycaps. Even then, the gaps are minimal, thanks to what Dell calls a “zero-lattice” keyboard.

There’s also a touch-sensitive area above the keyboard that serves as the function keys. We’ve seen a similar technology with the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar, which was equally controversial. The difference is that Dell’s version is clearly minimalist and blends cleanly into the background, without any visual separation between that area and the rest of the laptop.

The biggest change, however, is the invisible trackpad. It’s still there and occupies the same area as a regular trackpad, perhaps even bigger, but there’s no clear way for you to actually see where it is. You’re given haptic feedback, so you’re not completely clueless, but it remains to be seen (or felt) how effective that will be in practice.

Eye Candy, Touch-Deprived

Dell definitely accomplished what it set out to do with the Dell XPS 13 Plus. The laptop is truly beautiful and clean; a minimalist dream’s come true. As an added bonus, the PC maker took steps to reduce the carbon footprint of the laptop, both during its production as well as its packaging. It definitely checks most of the boxes of product design and sustainability. It does, however, leave some questions hanging when it comes to other aspects that would affect how people use the product.

The MacBook Pro Touch Bar wasn’t exactly that popular, and the XPS 13 Plus’ version actually misses out on some of the flexibility and benefits of a screen-based solution in favor of a minimalist design. The lack of physical keys could make it harder to hit them by muscle memory, so you’ll always end up looking down. The same could almost be said of the zero-lattice keys, whose larger sizes could be negated by the very same thing that makes them special. Our fingers almost instinctively know the keys to hit, partly because of how they feel with those bumps and gaps in between keys.

The biggest question mark, however, is the invisible trackpad. It might take a lot of trial and error for people to get used to where the active area is or how far it extends. There is no argument that it definitely looks elegant in its cleanliness, and we give Dell the benefit of the doubt that it did due diligence in R&D, but we’ll have to wait and see for real-world feedback on whether this beautiful but unusual $1,299 laptop is worth those changes.

The post Dell XPS 13 Plus tries to evolve the laptop with questionable features first appeared on Yanko Design.

Futuristic laptop concept comes with a detachable smartphone instead of a trackpad

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The AIO Phone-book does a bunch of incredibly radical things, let’s count them down. Firstly, it comes with a built-in smartphone that detaches when you need, and docks back to turn into a trackpad. Secondly, to account for the size discrepancy between smartphones and conventional trackpads, the phone sports a rolling display that allows it to not just expand, but bend too, turning into a mouse. If that wasn’t enough, the empty docking region on the laptop even acts as a wireless charging zone, for items like your AirPods. It’s possible that the AIO Phone-book, even as a concept, bites off more than it can chew… but hey, being creative and innovative ain’t a crime, right?

Designer: Kylin Wu

AIO Phone-Book with Detachable Smartphone Trackpad

A winner of the Spark Design Award (probably for sheer far-fetched futurism), the AIO Phone-book comes from the mind of Kylin Wu, a Shenzhen-based Industrial Designer. Objectively, without looking back at what laptops have been like for the past decade, the AIO Phone-book makes a pretty common observation. The trackpad has a touch-sensitive surface, and so does the phone… so why don’t they both exist together as a single device? The AIO Phone-book comes with a smartphone that sits flush against its keyboard, with a screen that serves as a trackpad + mini-tablet. When docked in place, the smartphone acts as an auxiliary device for the laptop, allowing you to use its screen as a numpad, control center, and a trackpad. Detach it, and you’ve got yourself a smartphone that can be used independently as its own device, or as a mouse for your laptop.

AIO Phone-Book with Detachable Smartphone Trackpad

AIO Phone-Book with Detachable Smartphone Trackpad

The smartphone comes with an expanding design, made possible thanks to a rolling screen and a unique flexible hinge that allows the phone to expand as well as curve. We’re WAY DEEP in uncharted territory so let’s not try to bring logic or hardware limitations into this. While the smartphone’s undocked, the empty space on the laptop serves as a platform for wirelessly charging other devices like your TWS earbuds. When you’re done and you want to dock your phone back in again, it snaps in place and contact points on the top and the bottom of the phone connect it to the laptop, allowing it to charge (as well as potentially send and receive files).

AIO Phone-Book with Detachable Smartphone Trackpad

The idea of docking a smartphone inside a laptop isn’t new. Razer even showcased a prototype of this very concept with their Project Linda back in 2018. There’s no official word on why Razer never really took this concept forward, but a few thoughts come to mind – the most notable one being that people buy phones and laptops separately, and they change their smartphones MUCH more often than they change their laptops. Besides, it would create logistical and usability issues too. What do you do when you’re on a call and you need a mouse or trackpad? Or worse, what if you lose your phone? It’s safe to say the AIO Phone-book is one of those ‘absolutely unreal’ concepts because beyond being able to dock your phone in your laptop, the AIO comes with a flexible, rollable phone too. That’s WAY too many moving parts and fragile components. However, the idea of being able to use your smartphone in conjunction with your laptop is a pretty promising one. You could wirelessly charge your phone off the laptop (something Apple’s reportedly been working on), use it as a remote control for your laptop, an extended screen, a num-pad, or as Apple’s also demonstrated with Universal Control, use it to seamlessly drag and drop files between devices. That being said, the AIO Phone-book’s definitely one of the more zany concepts out there, although it does prompt us to push technology further and further…

AIO Phone-Book with Detachable Smartphone Trackpad

Get the iMac-style workflow on your iPad Pro with Brydge’s standalone trackpad for iPadOS

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Your M1 iPad Pro is as good as an iMac… Brydge’s iTrack trackpad brings iMac-style functionality to it. Up until last month, Apple marketed the iPad as a laptop replacement, however that perception changed when the iPad was introduced alongside the iMac at Apple’s SpringLoaded event at the end of April, both with Apple’s supercharged M1 chip. The iPad is more than just a laptop now, it’s a machine with more processing power than most machines with Intel chips, and its graphical power is comparable to high-end gaming consoles. In short, it looks and behaves like an iMac with a touchscreen, so it just made sense to bring the iMac’s accessories to it too.

The iTrack comes from the fine folks at Brydge, who’ve developed some of the best accessories for Apple products over the years (they released a keyboard+trackpad attachment for the iPad before Apple did). Debuted at CES back in 2020, the iTrack (which officially launched just last week) is a compact multi-touch trackpad that’s designed to give your iPad workflow a significant upgrade. Styled to look just like Apple’s own Magic Trackpad 2, the iTrack is much smaller (with a 6.1-inch diagonal) and sports the same space-grey aluminum body and touch-sensitive glass top.

Designed to work seamlessly with iPadOS (versions 14.5 and higher), the iTrack automatically and instantly connects with your tablet via Bluetooth, providing an experience as seamless as Apple’s own trackpad. Sensors within the device detect subtle pressure differences that let you tap, scroll, swipe, and use other multi-touch features on your iPad Pro. Just like a Trackpad or a Magic Mouse, you can work within programs, intuitively select and edit text and spreadsheets, and switch between apps… besides, the iTrack even works seamlessly with other connected accessories like a keyboard or Apple Pencil, complementing most workflows.

The iTrack debuted back in 2020, but its launch wasn’t until last week, owing to delays because of the pandemic. It ships for $99.99 (that’s $20 cheaper than Apple’s Magic Trackpad 2), has a USB-C port for charging, and boasts of an impressive 6-month battery life on a full charge, with 2-hours of use every day.

Designer: Brydge

This tiny gadget combines Apple’s magic mouse and a laser pointer to be the ultimate work accessory!

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The mouse was born as a direct result of the world’s first Graphical User Interface. As soon as computers began displaying icons, windows, and folders instead of endless lines of code, the keyboard immediately ended up falling short, and the mouse and cursor were born to help work as an extension of your hands. In the digital world, the mouse could help you tap on things, drag elements, zoom in or out, or navigate through large virtual canvasses. It’s been 55 years since the first mouse was invented at Stanford University, and experientially, not much has changed. We’ve still got buttons, scroll wheels, and only in the last two decades did we make the shift to wireless mice. The CheerPod is the Mouse’s most natural next step. Yes, it lets you do the same things you could with your regular mouse, but it also lets you do so much more! The CheerPod works not just with your computer, but with your tablet, phone, and even projector. It functions as a mouse, a trackpad, a remote control, and even a laser pointer… in short, if the mouse and cursor were extensions of your hand within your desktop computer, the CheerPod is an extension of your hand within every digital personal experience!

The CheerPod is a tiny, handheld device that boils the mouse down to its essentials. With a design that’s dictated by the need to be small and remote-like, the CheerPod is to mice what smartphones are to landlines – Portable, rectangular, and heavily feature-laden. It comes with an infrared sensor on its base, like all wireless mice, allowing you to drag your cursor by moving the physical device, but it also allows you to mimic gestures by swiping across screens in mobile and desktop interfaces. The CheerPod, unlike most wireless mice, works without a receiver, connecting directly to laptops, desktops, tablets, and even phones using Bluetooth. It sports a Magic Mouse-inspired touch-enabled surface on its top that lets you click, scroll, zoom, pinch, swipe, and even use multi-touch gestures… sort of like the love-child of a mouse and a trackpad.

While the CheerPod is, in itself, a better, smaller, and more universally compatible version of a wireless mouse, it’s most innovative feature is just a switch-flip away. A simple switch makes the CheerPod go airborne, allowing it from being a ground-based navigation device to something you can hold in your hand like a remote control. Its tiny, remote-shaped profile makes it exceptionally handy, allowing you to use it in presentations to cycle through slides, clicking on elements, or even zoom into images or graphs to delve into small details. The CheerPod even factors in its own laser pointer, allowing you to focus your audience’s attention on parts of your pitch too.

A winner of the 2020 Red Dot Design Award, the CheerPod showcases the evolutionary step in wireless controllers. It combines the functions of multiple products (mouse, trackpad, remote, pointer) into one device that’s not just universally compatible, working with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android systems, but it’s ridiculously tiny too, allowing you to easily slip it into your laptop sleeve, backpack, or even your pocket to carry along with you (and comes with a battery life of 20 days). Not that everyone would want to carry a futuristic wireless controller with them everywhere, but then again, the fact that you could rush into a boardroom with just a pen-drive and your own wireless remote/laser-pointer sounds like a pretty great thing… or perhaps carry it along with your phone to use as a remote control for when you’re casting your mobile screen to a TV to watch media!

Designer: CheerPod

Click Here to Buy Now: $49 $99 (50% off). Hurry, only 5 left, under 48 hours to go! Raised over $388,369.

CheerPod – Air Mouse & Presentation Mouse

The CheerPod is a 2.6-inch mouse, touchpad, and laser pointer that lets you connect to any devices for seamless control anywhere.

CheerPod can be used as a full-function desktop mouse, touchpad and laser pointer on virtually any device. With support for the most frequently used hand gestures in both Desktop Mode and Air Mode, it’s comfortable to use and easy to control.

Universal Compatibility – No Receiver Needed

CheerPod saves your valuable input slot and delivers a fast connection. Simply connect it just like connect your wireless earbuds, easy and effortless. CheerPod’s universal compatibility makes it a perfect control solution for multi-device.

Ground Mode and Air Mode – Easy to Switch

When CheerPod is used in the Ground Mode, it works as a full-function desktop mouse + touchpad for various devices. When you are tired of placing your hands on the table while working, try the Air Mode to continue the work in an easier way!

At the flick of a switch, CheerPod instantly gives you gesture control from the comfort of your couch or moving freely around the room!

See What You Can Do With CheerPod

The Perfect Presentation Tool

Air Mode allows you to move around the room as you present, advancing slides, opening apps, and switching between important documents. Its built-in laser pointer is great for getting to the point and CheerPod supports the most frequently used controls for presentations such as: zoom in/out, turn the page, scroll control, and more using simple gestures.

Works as Remote Control for Media Entertainment

CheerPod is a super convenient remote control for TVs or phones and computers that are mirrored to the big screen.

Ergonomic Design

CheerPod is ergonomically designed to perfectly fit the hand and respond to natural hand movements. For this purpose, the team has tried all kinds of sizes. Based on the test result, they have made CheerPod compact enough that it fits in a pocket for go-anywhere convenience, but large enough to be comfortable for all-day use

Super Low Latency

For any wireless device, staying in sync is key. CheerPod has a super low latency of 7ms so it always responds with perfect accuracy and no lag. In a working range of 10m, you can control the device as you move freely around the room without any disconnection.

Super Portable

CheerPod is super slim at just 2.6 inches long and it’s a 33g featherweight. It goes with you anywhere, seamlessly transitioning between home, work, cafe or travel. With 20+ days of working time on a single charge, you can rely on it anytime you need it.

Complete List of Hand Gesture Controls

Click Here to Buy Now: $49 $99 (50% off). Hurry, only 5 left, under 48 hours to go! Raised over $388,369.

Office for iPad will reportedly get trackpad support ‘by the fall’

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Microsoft is actively working to update its Office mobile apps to take advantage of the iPad's new and more robust trackpad support, according to The Verge's Tom Warren. We already knew Microsoft planned to take advantage of the feature when TechCrun...

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 review: The rest is yet to come

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There's an Apple promo video on YouTube right called "iPad Pro — Your next computer is not a computer" that's sitting pretty with over 22 million views as I write this. Another video, with more than three million views, features an old-timey vo...

iFixit’s MacBook Air teardown confirms 0.5mm thicker keyboard

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If you've been lucky enough to get your hands on the new MacBook Air, you know that the keyboard really is excellent. Thanks to the scissor mechanism, which replaced the hated butterfly keyboard, the keys are noticeably cushier, with more travel. iFi...