MIT Wiz-Kid Pushes Limits on Future of Touch Screen Rentals

Touch screens – and touch screen rentals – don’t make for the most exciting of topics.  I mean, really, how interesting can a touch screen get? They come in black (or silver), are shiny, and show good quality images.

But one recent graduate of MIT is pushing the boundaries of touch screens as we know them. The Technology Review, an online publication manufactured by noneother than MIT, investigated what exactly is going on.

Michael Knuepfel, the graduate in question, is taking standard touch screen elements and making them "more tactile, more physical, and potentially more expressive and fun."

Touch screens and fun? In the same paragraph?!

While Technology Review’s explanations tend to wax poetic, we’re going to try to shorten and sweeten the revelation. What Knuepfel is really doing is taking standard touch screen devices (such as the iPad) and developing accessories that enhance intrinsic abilities.

Game On

Consider the game controller add-on he developed that can be used with the iPad or iPhone, eliminating the pesky drawback that comes with non game-friendly devices. The add-on looks like a Playstation remote in miniature – but it works for us.

For the Artsy Set

Knuepfel goes beyond a touch screens’ inherent limitations with his next device – a “mechanical stylus.” This doesn’t sound like too interesting of a development until its usefulness in the design community is considered. The stylus senses pressure, communicating depth to a touch screen device – which is an excellent capability to have when performing artistry.

He also made some sound-based version of the stylus, which translates pen pressure into sound which communicates back to the device.

When Our Powers Activate…

Security is always a concern, especially when a device is left attended. But now, thanks to Knuepfel, users don’t need to rely on pesky apps or built-in loggers.

His new touch screen-capable rings communicate gestures to unlock

In Conclusion

We’re happy to see such innovation alive and well, and we can’t wait until the big tech makers get on board to make some of these inventions mainstream. So we can rent them out!