QSI Corporation has revealed a new technology that lets any semi-rigid material sense touch. Any combination of materials such as glass, plastic, metal, stone or wood can become the touch input surface.
Their force-based InfiniTouch technology can not only read X and Y coordinates, but even the Z-axis force, so they can sense the intensity of the touch.
Designed for use in environments where traditional touch panels won’t survive the elements, initial applications will be in places like tollbooths, outdoor kiosks, ATMs, building lobbies and gas stations. The technology also provides designers and architects with tremendous creative freedom, such as in the photo above, which shows a touch panel made from slate, with water running across the surface.
