Tuesday 14 October 2014

Apple Watch Digital Touch


Apple have shown the new watch to the media. This has a Taptic Engine or "Digital Touch". It allows a person's  heartbeat to be transmitted as an actual bump to another person.

Image from Apple.




 I designed and built similar technology for Microsoft, more  here in 2005. This used an optical sensor in a mouse to measure heartbeat and transmit to another user as a haptic bump in their hand.  There is no patent and all in public domain.

image from 2006, mockup but working hardware tested


Recently I have been evaluating this technology for mobile phones. All the hardware exists in mobile phones, e.g. camera and vibrator.