Pressure Sensitive Touchscreens In Near Future

UK researcher have found a relatively cheap way to bring touch-sensitive capabilities to devices.

Today while consumers and gadget lovers are salivating over the freshly-revealed iPad and its pretty 9.7-inch screen, it's hard not to wonder where technology will go next. What if Apple's new device had not only touchscreen capabilities, but also touch-sensitive features? That may eventually happen in the near future thanks to a new material.

UK research firm Paratech has developed a way to incorporate touch-sensitive capabilities using a 75-micrometer quantum tunneling composite (QTC). Apparently this material will be able to distinguish between a light touch and a hard poke, and can easily be added to screens with very little cost. Sensors lined around the perimeter of the display detect the amount of “bend” applied to the materiel. The combined data of Paratech's sensors and the touchscreen input can report where—and how hard—the screen is being pressed.

According to Technology Review, quantum tunneling occurs when electrons jump between two conductors that are brought close together, but remain separated by an insulating barrier. In this case, a polymer serves as the insulating layer, and is embedded with “spiky” conductive metallic particles around 10 nanometers in size. When force is applied, the particles are brought closer together, thus changing their resistance and causing the quantum tunneling effect.

Japanese display manufacturer Nissha has already signed on with a $1.4 million deal to license the technology for products--these may hit the market as soon as April. It's also quite possible that Paratech's technology will be used in the next hand-held console from Nintendo due to the game company's ties with Nissha.