Phone It In
Public touch-screen displays such as airport check-in kiosks aren’t known for having versatile interfaces; they usually lack keyboards or pointing devices, limiting users to a few navigational buttons. But new software from High Energy Magic of Cambridge, England, turns a camera phone with a Bluetooth wireless connection into a portable mouse and keyboard that can take full command of public displays, doing away with the old touch screen. Working with Intel’s Cambridge research lab, High Energy Magic has developed a set of circular symbols, similar in concept to bar codes, that can be displayed by public terminals. Camera phones loaded with the company’s software can translate the symbols into data. Once a phone locks onto one of the symbols, it uses the Bluetooth short-range wireless protocol to send information about its size, position, and orientation to the computer running the display. The phone can then act as a mouse, manipulating on-screen controls such as scroll bars. The company plans to license the technology to businesses, such as travel agencies, that operate public kiosks.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines
New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.
DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.
“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.
Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats
With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure
Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation
From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.