How many times have you asked someone why they still have their old feature phone and they answered either, “I just like my keyboard” or “I can’t type without the buttons?” Almost 100% of the time, right? Well, despite the fact that most current smartphones and tablets forego the physical keyboard in lieu of software-based solutions, many consumers still desire that tactile response of pressing a physical button. Well, we’re hoping to fill that void with our recent partnership with Tactus Technology.

You may have caught wind of the Tactus Keyboard earlier this year as it made quite a splash at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The solution incorporates a unique fluid-filled layer that protrudes buttons to provide users with a physical keyboard on smartphones and tablets when needed and can recede back into the screen when not, thus creating both a raised physical keyboard and smooth touchscreen surface at the same time. As Ars Technica’s Florence Ion explains in a recent article on the future of touchscreen development, “Tactus Technology is focused on developing a kind of “microfluidic technology” where buttons rise up based on the fluid pressure on the covered layer. The idea is that the actual buttons only appear when the keypad is in use. Take a look at this demo video to see it in action:

Tactus Technology – CES 2013 from Tactus Technology Inc. on Vimeo.

We enjoyed Tactus’ concept so much that we’ve recently partnered with the company to develop a 7” Android-powered reference design tablet to begin showcasing the technology with device makers, as reported by TechCrunch. We’re still in the early stages of meetings but there has been quite a bit of interest from tier-one OEMs. If you’re dying to get your hands on a device with the Tactus Keyboard, you should expect to see it in consumer devices sometime around CES 2014.

Last year, the UC Davis College of Engineering celebrated their 50 year anniversary and half a decade of commitment and passion for the advancement of engineering and technology. This week, UC Davis students, alumni, faculty and emeriti gathered again to commemorate those who have made a difference in moving the industry forward, and to look towards the future – to where this marriage of math, science, art and innovation will take us next. As part of this ceremony, Synaptics’ own Francis Lee, board chair, former CEO and UC Davis alumnus, was honored for his contributions to the field of engineering. Synaptics’ technology was also on display at the event to represent our leadership in human interface innovation.

Synaptics is honored to have been part of this event and we are committed to doing our part in the evolution of our field. We have done so, so far, in part due to the pioneering minds that make up our team; minds like that of Francis Lee that were developed and sharpened at renowned universities like UC Davis.

Lee attended the UC Davis College of Engineering, graduating with a BS in electrical engineering in 1974. In addition to be an alumnus, Lee’s successful career and devotion to the semiconductor field makes him a worthy honoree. When he and his family emigrated from Hong Kong to Sacramento in the late 1960s, Lee didn’t speak a word of English. The determined young man worked through the language barrier and his math and science skills led him to UC Davis. For two decades post graduation, Lee worked for National Semiconductor. He then spent a few years back in Hong Kong where he founded NSM, a joint venture of National Semiconductor and S. Megga. Lee settled in Silicon Valley in 1998 when he became our director and CEO until 2009. In the years since, Lee has continued to be a leader in our field; serving as our board chairman and often engaging the next generation of innovators as a guest speaker on topics related to engineering and human interface technology.

This special event was held against the backdrop of National Engineering Week – an annual occasion dedicated to connecting with future engineers. The theme this year is “Celebrate Awesome,” and observes the outstanding accomplishments of our industry in improving society’s quality of life. At Synaptics, were we explore where the integration of tech and biology will take us and how touch technology impacts the way people interact with their devices, we couldn’t be more proud to participate in this week’s celebration and help excite and inspire tomorrow’s future generation of young, vibrant engineers.
Congrats again to Francis Lee for all of his achievements over the years, and in the years to come!

In case you haven’t noticed, the working world is getting a lot more “touchy-feely.” Of course, by that we mean through the major influx of touchscreens into our everyday working environments.

For example, recent studies have shown that by 2015 mobile workers will account for more than one-third of the global workforce, accounting for 1.3 billion mobile workers. In addition to that, the typical mobile worker now carries an average of 3.5 devices with them on any given day —  this could be a smartphone, tablet and an Ultrabook™ device for example. All three of these devices are dependent on touch input, and more often than not, capacitive touch is involved.

This year, we also saw the introduction of Windows 8 and its heavy reliance on an all-new, touch-friendly UI. This introduction is a huge step forward for solidifying touch as the chief input technology in today’s mobile-dominated era of computing.

As the working world continues to become more and more mobile, the delineation between consumer and enterprise devices begins to blur. In today’s environment where trends like BYOD (bring your own device) are carving out a formidable path among the workforce, all devices must effectively combine a brilliant experience with a high degree of efficiency and performance. For the mobile worker, of course, this means thinner and lighter devices, but this also means devices that are flexible and intuitive, devices that work with us, not just for us. Smooth and responsive touch input is a crucial element of that overall experience, especially as touch becomes the primary method of interaction with our devices.

As a leader in human interface technology, obviously this industry shift excites us here at Synaptics, as it puts touch at the center of the user experience. We’re also excited to be taking part in Dell World this year to showcase some of the latest innovations in touch technology that promise to drive this trend even further  — like the Synaptics ForcePad™, a pressure-sensitive touchpad; and the Synaptics ThinTouch™, the world’s thinnest keyboard that applies capacitive touch directly into the keys, allowing for a greatly enhanced typing experience.

If you’re a mobile worker (and we suspect many, if not all, of you are to some degree), what devices do you carry? How often do you use capacitive touchscreens or touchpads to conduct everyday business? Share with us in the comments section, and we’re looking forward to seeing you at Dell World this week.

TouchExplorer, our very own touchscreen performance app, is now uploaded and ready for download on the Google Play store.  You can directly access the app with the badge below, or of course, visit Google Play on your Android device.

Within the next couple of weeks, we will also have a physical kit, which includes a suite of accompanying tools (noisy charger, slugs, rulers), videos, and our Android app, ready to pass to customers, partners, and media.  Updates and new features will continued to be made and this app will be maintained.  Our www.synaptics.com/touchexplorer site will be updated.  Finally, a Windows Phone 7 version of the app has already been started in preparation for Windows Phone 8.

Download Synaptics’ Touchscreen Performance App:

www.synaptics.com/touchexplorer

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To learn more about ForcePad, click here.

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