Displax launches a multi-touch film

A DEVELOPER of interactive technologies, Displax has launched a thinner-than-paper polymer "skin" that can turn any surface into a multi-touch display.

The Displax Multitouch Technology, as it's called, or "skin" can be stuck on curved or non-conductive flat surfaces like glass, plastic or wood and turn it into an interactive input device.

While the technology was initially conceived for commercial environments the company doesn't want to miss any tricks for potential applications and claims that it will be a boon for LCD manufacturers.

Here's how it works. The technology uses a controller that works by processing multiple input signals it receives from a grid of nanowires embedded in the film attached to the enabled surface.

Each time a finger is placed on the screen or a user blows on the surface, a small electrical disturbance is caused. The micro-processor controller analyses this data and decodes the location of each input on that grid to track the finger or air-flow movements.

"Multitouch is the future of interacting with a wide range of technologies. For the commercial markets, the Displax Multitouch Technology will open up new opportunities for many market players, technology vendors as well as businesses," said Miguel Fonseca, chief business officer of Displax.

The hardware in and of itself sounds interesting but Displax will have to work in tandem with other manufacturers and software driver developers, and garner viable support from software applications, if it really wants make any impact.

At the moment, it sounds like a great research and development project that accidentally got manufactured. µ