Qeexo, Co. (Mountain View, CA), a spin out of Carnegie Mellon University, has developed an algorithm that allows a device to estimate the angle of the user’s finger relative to the plane of the touchscreen when the finger is in contact with the touchscreen. The technology is called FingerAngle.
FingerAngle is implemented entirely through software. This means that it can, in principle, be obtained simply by a software upgrade. Hence, obtaining the new feature does not require the purchase of any new hardware up to and including a new smartphone.
The new technology is based on the observation that there is a subtle but very distinct change in the shape of a fingertip when it is pressed against the surface of a touchscreen. The nature of the alteration depends on the part of the finger making contact with the surface of the touchscreen and its angle of contact. The algorithm can not only determine the angle of the finger as it makes contact, but also determine the change in angle in real time as the finger is rotated while in contact with the touchscreen surface.
It should be noted that Qeexo technology is compatible with other means already available for determining the X/Y position of the finger and the force of the touch on the touchscreen.
The ability to detect finger rotation can be used, for example, as a means to rotate images or on-screen dials. A more specific example might be a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of a volume control dial. Other uses of FingerAngle proposed by Qeexo include using the pitch of the user’s finger to project a ray into 3D space or using the change in pitch as a means to adjust the size and implement cropping an image. The user could also scroll up or down simply by adjusting the angle of their finger.
These applications of FingerAngle technology are well suited to mid-sized screen devices such as smartphones and tablets, but they offer even greater utility on a small screen device such as a smartwatch. In such cases, the technology could replace the need for two finger touch applications on a screen size that really does not have the area for more than one finger.
A video illustrating the FingerAngle application in use can be found at the end of this article.
The new algorithm is compatible with iOS and Android and has been demonstrated in both smartphones and smartwatches.
Qeexo envisions the delivery of FingerAngle technology to existing devices by means of a software upgrade. The time at which this might become available is, however, uncertain since making it a standard feature will require a license by Google for Android devices and Apple for iOS devices. It is worth noting, however, that since FingerAngle is implemented through software, its first implementations may be in third-party, downloadable applications. -Arthur Berman
Qeexo, Sang Won Lee, [email protected]
