Motorola invests in natural interfaces

MOTOROLA HAS STUCK a wad of cash into a company that specialises in integrating acoustics as part of the user interface.

Sensitive Object is a spin-off from the French Science National Research Centre and bills itself as "a leader in multi-touch anywhere platforms and natural user interface."

"Natural user interface (NUI) and in particular interacting with a device through touch is an area of rapid development and great excitement," said Reese Schroeder, managing director of Motorola Ventures.

"Sensitive Object provides an innovative and unique approach allowing new ways of interaction. We're most excited to be involved in their growth and success."

Unlike the capacitive, resistive or optical touchscreens that are in vogue today, the company is working on software that uses acoustics to analyse sound waves departing from the precise point of a touch to effectively transform any product into a touch device.

Not only could this add a literally new dimension to the user interface, the firm touts it as being cheaper than today's existing touchscreens.

"Motorola is a perfect partner for our disruptive touch solution considering Motorola's innovative and successful history with mobile phones," added Herve Martin, CEO of Sensitive Object.

Sensitive Objects reckons that its "Anywhere MultiTouch" platform is capable of "tactilising" any surface, meaning an entire device could potentially be used as part of the user interface.

Although there were no details available about how much money Motorola's venture arm has plunked into the company or what it's getting in return, this could make for some interesting developments in how we interact with our mobile devices in the future. µ