CONTENTS

1. Abstract …………………………………………. 1 2. Introduction ……………………………….…….2 3. 4. Keyboard

………………………………………..3 Virtual Key board………………….……………7
5. Technologies used ……………………..………..8 6. Senseboard Keyboardless Keyboard ……….…1
0 7. SCURRY – The SAMSUNG Product .…….…...12 8. The CANESTA Keyboard…………………..….1
3
9. Technology …………..……………….……….16 10. VKEY – From Virtual Devices………………...21 11.
NO-Keys -- The Software ………………….....23 12. Application………………………………………25 13. Con
clusion ……………………………………...27 14. Appendix ……………………………………….28 15. References ……………
………………………..35
VIRTUAL KEYBOARD
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ABSTRACT
A virtual keyboard is actually a key-in device, roughly a size of a fountain pen
, which uses highly advanced laser technology, to project a full sized keyboard
on to a flat surface. Since the invention of computers they had undergone rapid
miniaturization. Disks and components grew smaller in size, but only component r
emained same for decades –its keyboard. Since miniaturization of a traditional k
eyboard is very difficult we go for virtual keyboard. Here, a camera tracks the
finger movements of the typist to get the correct keystroke.A virtual keyboard i
s a keyboard that a user operates by typing on or within a wireless or optical –
dectable surface or area rather than by depressing physical keys.
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INTRODUCTION
Since their invention, computers have undergone rapid
miniaturization from being a ‘space saver’ to ‘as tiny as your palm’. Disks and
components grew smaller in size, but one component still remained the same for d
ecades – it’s the keyboard.
Miniaturisation of keyboard had proved nightmare for users. Users of PDAs and sm
art phones are annoyed by the tiny size of the keys. The new innovation Virtual
Keyboard uses advanced technologies to project a fullsized computing key-board t
o any surface. This device has become the solution for mobile computer users who
prefer to do touch-typing than cramping over tiny keys.
Typing information into mobile devices usually feels about as natural as a lineb
acker riding a Big Wheel. Virtual Keyboard is a way to eliminate finger cramping
.
All that s needed to use the keyboard is a flat surface. Using laser technology,
a bright red image of a keyboard is projected from a device such as a handheld.
Detection technology based on optical recognition allows users to tap the image
s of the keys so the virtual keyboard behaves like a real one. It s designed to
support any typing speed.
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KEYBOARD
The part of the computer (also that of PDAs, smart phones etc.) that we come int
o most contact with is probably the piece that we think about the least. But the
keyboard is an amazing piece of technology. For instance, did you know that the
keyboard on a typical computer system is actually a computer itself?
Windows keyboard
At its essence, a keyboard is a series of switches connected to a microprocessor
that monitors the state of each switch and initiates a specific response to a c
hange in that state.
Types of Keyboards
Keyboards have changed very little in layout since their introduction. In fact,
the most common change has simply been the natural evolution of adding more keys
that provide additional functionality.
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The most common keyboards are:
• • • •
101-key Enhanced keyboard 104-key Windows keyboard 82-key Apple standard keyboar
d 108-key Apple Extended keyboard Portable computers such as laptops quite often
have custom keyboards
that have slightly different key arrangements than a standard keyboard. Also, ma
ny system manufacturers add specialty buttons to the standard layout. A typical
keyboard has four basic types of keys:
• • • •
Typing keys Numeric keypad Function keys Control keys The typing keys are the se
ction of the keyboard that contain the letter
keys, generally laid out in the same style that was common for typewriters. This
layout, known as QWERTY for the first six letters in the layout, was originally
designed to slow down fast typists by making the arrangement of the keys somewh
at awkward! The reason that typewriter manufacturers did this was because the me
chanical arms that imprinted each character on the paper could jam together if t
he keys were pressed too rapidly. Because it has been long established as a stan
dard, and people have become accustomed to the QWERTY configuration, manufacture
rs developed keyboards for computers using the same layout, even though jamming
is no longer an issue. Critics of the QWERTY layout have adopted another layout;
Dvorak that places the most commonly used letters in the most convenient arrang
ement.
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An Apple Extended keyboard.
The numeric keypad is a part of the natural evolution mentioned previously. As t
he use of computers in business environments increased, so did the need for spee
dy data entry. Since a large part of the data was numbers, a set of 17 keys was
added to the keyboard. These keys are laid out in the same configuration used by
most adding machines and calculators, to facilitate the transition to computer
for clerks accustomed to these other machines. In 1986, IBM extended the basic k
eyboard with the addition of function and control keys. The function keys, arran
ged in a line across the top of the keyboard, could be assigned specific command
s by the current application or the operating system. Control keys provided curs
or and screen control. Four keys arranged in an inverted T formation between the
typing keys and numeric keypad allow the user to move the cursor on the display
in small increments. The control keys allow the user to make large jumps in mos
t applications. Common control keys include:
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• • • • • • • • •
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Home End Insert Delete Page Up Page Down Control (Ctrl) Alternate (Alt) Escape (
Esc)
The Windows keyboard adds some extra control keys: two Windows or Start keys, an
d an Application key. Keyboards use a variety of switch technologies. It is inte
resting to note that we generally like to have some audible and tactile response
to our typing on a keyboard. We want to hear the keys "click" as we type, and w
e want the keys to feel firm and spring back quickly as we press them.
As you type, the processor in the keyboard is analyzing the key matrix and deter
mining what characters to send to the computer. It maintains these characters in
a buffer of memory that is usually about 16 bytes large. It then sends the data
in a stream to the computer via some type of connection.
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VIRTUAL KEYBOARD
A virtual keyboard is a keyboard that a user operates by typing (moving fingers)
on or within a wireless or optical-detectable surface or area rather than by de
pressing physical keys. In one technology, the keyboard is projected optically o
n a flat surface and, as the user touches the image of a key, the optical device
detects the stroke and sends it to the computer. In another technology, the key
board is projected on an area and selected keys are transmitted as wireless sign
als using the short-range Bluetooth technology. With either approach, a virtual
keyboard makes it possible for the user of a very small smart phone or a wearabl
e computer to have full keyboard capability. Theoretically, with either approach
, the keyboard can be in space and the user can type by moving fingers through t
he air! The regular QWERTY keyboard layout is provided.
All that s needed to use the keyboard is a flat surface. Using laser technology,
a bright red image of a keyboard is projected from a device such as a handheld.
Detection technology based on optical recognition allows users to tap the image
s of the keys so the virtual keyboard behaves like a real one. It s designed to
support any typing speed.
Several products have been developed that use virtual keyboard to mean a keyboar
d that has been put on a display screen as an image map. In some cases, the keyb
oard can be customized. Depending on the product, the user (who may be someone u
nable to use a regular keyboard) can use a touch screen or a mouse to select the
keys.
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We simply take our PDA and put it onto the table. It shines a keyboard onto the
table and we just type on the table as if it were a keyboard. The only drawback
for the touch typist is that we can t rest our fingers on the keyboard as we wou
ld normally. But the manufacturers say that 10-15 minutes of practice makes perf
ect.
ADVANTAGES OF VIRTURAL KEYBOARD
• • • • • • •
Portability Accuracy Speed of text entry Lack of need for flat or large typing s
urface Ability to minimize the risk for repetitive strain injuries Flexibility K
eyboard layouts can be changed by software allowing for foreign or alternative k
eyboard layouts
TECHNOLOGIES USED
Several products have been developed by different manufacturers that use differe
nt technologies. In one technology, the keyboard is
projected optically on a flat surface and, as the user touches the image of a ke
y, the optical device detects the stroke and sends it to the computer. In anothe
r technology, the keyboard is projected on an area and selected keys are transmi
tted as wireless signals using the short-range Bluetooth technology. Both approa
ches make it possible for the user to work with the device with much ease.
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Some products use infrared camera to project the picture of the keyboard on a su
rface, while some others use laser beam. Optical recognition techniques like las
er technology are used to translate finger movements.
In another product sensors are attached to the palm of users. Here sensor techno
logy combined with artificial intelligence is used to let the user type in a vir
tual key environment. This is utilized in the Sense board models. Two hand-mount
ed devices connect to the target computing
device with the help of Bluetooth wireless networking technology. The user can t
ype on a hard surface like a desk or table, or into the air. Through the use of
Bluetooth technology, the "typed" information is transferred wirelessly to the c
omputer, where a word processing program analyzes and interprets the signals int
o readable text.
One product works by attaching motion sensors to each finger. It doesn t detect
muscle movement, but rather uses gyroscopic technology to detect angular movemen
ts of fingers through space. This is applied in the Samsung models.
The Integrated Canesta Keyboard is based on a controller and two optical compone
nts that project the image of a keyboard onto any flat surface and use a light s
ource to track the movement of fingers on that image. It uses the Electronic Per
ception Technology. The information picked up is formed into a 3D image with mot
ion and translated into standard keyboard input data. Canesta s advantage is the
fact that as far as the user is concerned there s no new hardware to buy or ins
tall. But PDA manufacturers are under pressure to add a raft of new features to
their devices, all of which require extra components that take up valuable space
and add to the always sensitive bill of materials. Canesta s advantage is the f
act that as far as the user is concerned there s no new hardware to buy or
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install. But PDA manufacturers are under pressure to add a raft of new features
to their devices.
VKB has developed a highly efficient method for projecting an optical image of a
keyboard onto a surface. In addition, VKB has developed a detection method thro
ugh several proprietary developments for the accurate and reliable detection of
user interaction, such as typing or cursor control functions (e.g. mouse or touc
h-pad controls). VKB has resolved all the technological hurdles required to make
a practical virtual interface.
There are some products which are meant for the disabled lot. It is visible on t
he screen and typing can be done by clicking with mouse or by touch-screen metho
d.
SENSEBOARD KEYBOARDLESS KEYBOARD
To use the Senseboard device, we simply slip a soft rubber pad onto each palm an
d start typing as if a keyboard was in front of us. A demo of the product didn t
work so well, however, and produced the gibberish "DNiSP" when the tester was a
sked to type "Comdex." The Sense board product clearly needs work. Representativ
es say the poor performance demonstrated for show attendees is not typical. Sens
e board works by tracking the muscle movements in the palm of the hand. When we
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extendyour left pinky finger in midair and strike it down as if we were going to
strike the "Q" key Senseboard displays the letter "Q" on the monitor. Two hand-
mounted devices connect to the target computing device with the help of Bluetoot
h wireless networking technology. The user can type on a hard surface like a des
k or table, or into the air. The hand-mounts measure finger movements and tell t
he handheld what keys the user intends to press, based on the ubiquitous QWERTY
keyboard layout. There s also a pause function.
Sensors made of a combination of rubber and plastic are attached to the user s p
alms in such a way that they do not interfere with finger motions. Through the u
se of Bluetooth technology, the "typed" information is transferred wirelessly to
the computer, where a word processing program analyzes and interprets the signa
ls into readable text.
The device is currently usable via existing ports on personal digital assistants
(PDAs) from Palm and other manufacturers. Senseboard officials say it eventuall
y will be compatible with most brands of pocket PCs, mobile phones and laptop co
mputers.
No visual mapping, recognition not recalls, easy to make errors. Only for expert
touch typists. Also the product requires specialized
software for handheld devices. For example, Senseboard software includes a dicti
onary program that predicts words based on common grammatical sentence structure
s to boost keying accuracy.
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SCURRY – THE SAMSUNG PRODUCT
Samsung s Scurry is also a wearable keyboard. It works by attaching motion senso
rs to each finger. It doesn t detect muscle movement, but rather uses gyroscopic
technology to detect angular movements of fingers through space. This approach
works better: Demonstrations on the show floor were far more impressive than its
competitor s performance in terms of accuracy. However the device is too bulky.
Nonfunctional prototypes of the final product are much smaller. The model demon
strated is wired. The manufacturers say, by the time their products become comme
rcially available they will support the wireless Bluetooth protocol. Also the pr
oduct requires specialized software for handheld devices.
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THE CANESTA KEYBOARD
In 1998 two inventors, Nazim Kareemi and Cyrus Bamji, struck up a conversation w
ith an informal gathering of alumni from the Massachusetts Institute of Technolo
gy in Santa Clara, Calif. Bamji mentioned his concept for controlling electronic
devices from a distance--in essence, a new form of remote control. "This idea w
as humming in my head for some time," he says, "but it didn t gel." Kareemi, an
electrical engineer who had founded PenWare (now owned by Symbol Technologies),
a producer of machines that record signatures electronically, took a pragmatic i
nterest in the problem. His experience in the technology business complemented B
amji s ongoing supply of ideas, making the two an ideal team. For his part, Bamj
i is a jackof-all-trades and an expert at most. He earned a collection of degree
s, from math to computer science, plus a doctoral degree in electrical engineeri
ng and computer science, from M.I.T. Then he worked as an architect of electroni
c devices and systems at Cadence Design Systems in San Jose, Calif.
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The two men followed up on their original discussion by starting to think about
developing a low-cost gadget that could make a threedimensional map of its surro
undings. After pondering that problem for half a year, they decided that an idea
l application would be a virtual keyboard: an image of "q," "w," "e," "r," "t,"
"y" and the other keys projected on a desktop, where someone could press down fi
ngers. The sequence of keystrokes would be recorded by a nearby personal electro
nic device or a cellular phone equipped to send electronic mail. The apparatus w
ould register which key had been pressed by using a three-dimensional depth map,
which provides information about where a particular key is located. This invent
ion was conceived early in 1999, but financial backing for their brainchild did
not come readily. "We presented the keyboard idea to a couple of venture capital
ists," Bamji says. "My recollection is that they merely smiled." Yet Kareemi and
Bamji believed in their invention, and by April they and an engineer colleague,
Abbas Rafii, launched a company called Canesta, based in San Jose, Calif. (The
company name is an acronym made from the given names of the founders, plus a few
added letters to give it a ring.) They funded the company themselves for a year
and then, in 2000, went after their initial round of venture capital and raised
$3 million. By that fall they had gone as far as to concoct a working version o
f the keyboard. To devise a way for electronics to see in three dimensions, the
team wanted to avoid mistakes made by others who had pursued similar technologie
s. Earlier researchers who had attempted to create 3-D images had relied on dual
cameras and compared images pixel by pixel, a method that demands considerable
computer processing. "We took a step back," Bamji explains, "and tried to have a
more holistic approach. We needed a 3-D sensor to get away from problems with i
nterpreting light from dark." Just such a sensing apparatus was incorporated in
a product, the Integrated Canesta Keyboard, and introduced in September at a mob
ile and
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wireless conference. The product became one of several virtual keyboards that ar
e entering the market. The Integrated Canesta Keyboard is based on a controller
and two optical components that project the image of a keyboard onto any flat su
rface and use a light source to track the movement of fingers on that image. It
uses the Electronic Perception Technology.
It is made up of three components.
Pattern Projector
is used to project light onto a flat surface, forming a standard QWERTY keyboard
layout or a custom layout of your choosing.
IR light source Bathes the keyboa
rd in an infrared light.
Sensory module Picks up finger movements over the key
s.
The information picked up is formed into a 3D image with motion and translated i
nto standard keyboard input data. Canesta s advantage is the fact that as far as
the user is concerned there s no new hardware to buy or install. But PDA manufa
cturers are under pressure to add a raft of new features to their devices, all o
f which require extra components that take up valuable space and add to the alwa
ys sensitive bill of materials. Canesta s advantage is the fact that as far as t
he user is concerned there s no new hardware to buy or install. But PDA manufact
urers are under pressure to add a raft of new features to their devices, all of
which require extra components that take up valuable space and add to the always
sensitive bill of materials.
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TECHNOLOGY
Uses low-cost semiconductor-based sensors.
The resolution of the chip also was not disclosed, although van Burden said that
the sensor chip would recognize images up to about 30 centimeters away from the
camera, in a field of view about the size of an airplane s seatback tray table.
The chip can process up to 50 frames per second of information, he said. Future
versions of the chip will improve the resolution of the device and the distance
at which it can distinguish objects, van Burden said. Ideally, the chipset will
reduce a PDA s battery life by about ten percent, a target Spare said the compa
ny hasn t quite met. However, Taiwan chip foundry UMC is fabricating the chipset
on 0.25-micron silicon, leaving plenty of room for a power-reducing process shr
ink. The pattern projector uses the most power, requiring about 60 mW to operate
and project the image. The company built in power-saving modes into the chipset
, set to wake up the device at the wave of a finger.
The chipset simply outputs RS232 serial keystrokes, and does not require a speci
fic CPU, Spare said.
Tricky Placement: Size and proper orientation of the three Canesta components is
likely to be the biggest hurdle for handheld system makers looking to use the t
echnology. The 0.25-micron sensor chip at the heart of the solution includes a b
arrel lens that senses the light bouncing off a finger. The chip and lens togeth
er measure 8 x 8 x 8 mm. The infrared light source is in a separate 6.4DEPARTMEN
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mm diameter x 12-mm module. And the pattern projector measures 9 x 9 x 12 mm. Al
l three devices need to point outward from the system in a similar orientation —
a tricky placement and integration challenge for a PDA and one currently not fe
asible for the nextgeneration of relatively thin 2.5G cell phones.
The company is already working on a so-called LP-2 version of the components tha
t would shrink the controller module to 6 x 6 x 6 mm and shave size off the opti
cal components as well.
Machine Vision: According to van Burden, the EPT chip includes finely tuned timi
ng circuits that can be used to measure each individual pixel s worth of reflect
ed light, calculating the distance of the object away from the camera. The refle
cted waves can be used to reconstruct the image of the object, complete with wha
t van Burden called a "depth map" to extend the twodimensional image into the th
ird dimension.
EPT, in fact, does not use visible light at all. Instead, a beam of infrared lig
ht—similar to that emitted by the auto focus mechanism of a camera—"paints" the
object. The EPT sensor receives the light and reconstructs the image using built
-in software. The EPT system consists of the infrared light source and a slightl
y modified conventional CMOS imaging chip, similar to those used in digital came
ras. Canesta has built in the software inside the imaging chip, eliminating the
need for a separate microcontroller.
Total maximum power consumption for the three modules currently stands at 105 mW
.
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Canesta Keyboard™ Perception Chipset™
The Canesta Keyboard Perception Chipset is designed to meet the stringent needs
of manufacturers of portable devices. Their small size and low power requirement
s make them ideally suited for integration into portable devices such as cell ph
ones, PDAs, and Tablet PCs. In addition, each module is fully self-contained sim
plifying the process of integrating them into an electronic device.
Canesta Keyboard Sensor Module
The Canesta Keyboard Sensor Module (SM-CK100) serves as the eyes of the Canesta
Keyboard Perception Chipset and features Canesta s patent-pending electronic per
ception technology. It includes an integrated lens that performs all necessary f
iltering and focusing functions, making it easy to integrate the module into a f
inal product. Working in conjunction with the Canesta Keyboard Light Source, the
SM-CK100 enables both keyboard data input and mouse functionality without the c
onfining limitations of a physical form factor.
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The Canesta Keyboard Sensor Module operates by locating the user s fingers in 3-
D space and tracking the intended keystrokes. Tracking and keystroke information
is processed onboard the SM-CK100 without assistance from the device processor.
Keystroke information can then be output to the device via an RS232 or USB inte
rface.
Canesta Keyboard IR Light Source
The Canesta Keyboard Light Source (IR-CK100) plays a critical role in any Canest
a Keyboard Perception Chipset implementation by enabling Canesta s patented elec
tronic perception technology. The module collects the IR laser diode and all the
associated optics into a single concise package, making it easy to integrate in
to a final product. The IR Light Source operates by emitting a beam of infrared
light. This light beam is designed to overlap the area on which the Canesta Keyb
oard Pattern Projector (PP-CK100) displays the keyboard layout so that the user
s fingers are illuminated by the infrared light beam. The Canesta Keyboard Senso
r Module (SM-CK100) detects the finger movement and the typing activity is resol
ved into the appropriate keystrokes or mouse actions.
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Canesta Keyboard Pattern Projector
The Canesta Keyboard Pattern Projector (PP-CK100) presents the image of the Cane
sta Keyboard. The Projector features a wide-angle lens so that a large pattern c
an be projected from the relatively low elevations associated with mobile device
s. When activated, the Pattern Projector displays a standard QWERTY keyboard lay
out onto a flat surface such as a desk, or the side of a briefcase. The projecte
d keyboard image can then be used to enter data into the device, such as a cell
phone or a PDA, in an efficient and familiar way. The default projected keyboard
pattern has been optimized to improve typing accuracy and include shortcut keys
for popular applications. Interested manufacturers can have custom layouts inco
rporated into the Canesta Keyboard Pattern Projector to meet the unique needs of
their target market. To further improve usability, the Canesta Pattern Projecto
r features adjustable brightness levels so that both manufacturers and end users
can configure the Pattern Projector to best meet the unique requirements of the
application environment and their individual preferences.
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VKEY – FROM VIRTUAL DEVICES
Pennsylvania-BASED
virtual
Devices
has
introduced
a
revolutionary keyboard, called the Vkey, for next-generation handheld devices. T
he ides behind the camera is use of an infrared camera that projects the picture
of a keyboard on a surface while the camera tracks the movement of our fingers
on the surface and structured light to interpret and analyse keystrokes and mous
e functions, enabling us to compose e-mails or interact with wordprocessors and
spreadsheets.
The keyboard translates finger movements to keystrokes with a high degree of pre
cision and may be a viable replacement for standard keyboards. The technology wi
ll let businessmen carry a fully functional computer in their pockets.
Virtual Devices (VDI) is not only looking at the PDA market, however - they also
want to try and crack the wireless desktop workstation market, as well as the c
ellular market, which has experienced a phenomenal boom in short message service
s (sms). It also has potential in the wearable personal computer market (which s
o far has proved a huge disappointment, mainly because no one wants to become th
e ultimate geek by actually
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wearing their computer - do they?), as well as for industrial applications like
ATM machines and pay telephones. "VDI believes that the virtual
keyboard is the last piece in the evolving convergence of personal computers, mo
bile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the internet.
VIRTUAL KEYBOARD FROM VKB
A full-size fully functional virtual keyboard that can be projected and touchedo
n any surface is shown by Siemens Procurement Logistics
Services at the CeBIT fair in Hanover, northern Germany, on Monday, March 18, 20
02. The virtual interface from Developer VKB Inc. from Jerusalem in Israel can b
e integrated in mobile phones, laptops, tablet PCs, or clean, sterile and medica
l environments and could be a revolution for the data entry of any mini computer
. The mini projector that detects user interaction with the surface also simulat
es a mousepad.
VKB has developed a highly efficient method for projecting an optical image of a
keyboard onto a surface. In addition, VKB has developed a detection method thro
ugh several proprietary developments for the accurate and reliable detection of
user interaction, such as typing or cursor control functions (e.g. mouse or touc
h-pad controls). VKB has resolved all the technological hurdles required to make
a practical virtual interface. Include minimizing the power consumption, minima
l component size, simple processing, high accuracy and ease of use. VKB has file
d numerous patents on its core technology and related applications.
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NO-KEYS -- THE SOFTWARE
No-Keys is a computer software program that displays a picture of a computer key
board on the screen. Users can "type" on this virtual keyboard using a mouse, tr
ackball, or similar pointing device. (A scan option is also provided for people
who cannot move any pointing device at all.) Whatever keys are typed on the virt
ual keyboard are sent to another program (such as a word processor, email progra
m, text-to-speech program, etc.) selected by the user. This allows you to operat
e the computer entirely with the mouse or other pointing device. This is intende
d primarily for computer users who have limited mobility, such as people sufferi
ng from MD, MS, stroke, or similar handicaps or disabilities. It can also be use
d for touch screen computers to eliminate the need for the keyboard.
The current version is version 5.0. This is a new and improved version that allo
ws the user to create custom keyboard configurations. You can now put exactly th
e keys you want on the keyboard in whatever order and arrangement you want.
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The program is distributed as shareware. This means that you can download the pr
ogram and use it for 60 days without paying for it. If you decide you want to co
ntinue using the program after 60 days, you must pay the $30 registration fee.
CLICK-N-TYPE KEYBOARD
Click-N-Type is an on-screen virtual keyboard designed for anyone with a disabil
ity that prevents him or her from typing on a physical computer keyboard. As lon
g as the person can control a mouse, trackball or other pointing device, he or s
he can send keystrokes to virtually any Windows application or DOS application t
hat can run within a window. Click-N-Type is a 32 bit application that requires
Windows
95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP or later. There are other virtual keyboards around but you l
l find Click-N-Type the easiest to use for getting text into those uncooperative
places like browser URL "Address:" fields, Email "To:" addresses, Email "Subjec
t:" fields, dialog boxes like "Open" and "Save As...", and many other problemati
c applications. You ll see they all work fine while typing into Notepad or WordP
ad, but when you attempt to do some real work, you ll get really annoyed really
fast. Click-N-Type was designed with ease of use foremost in mind.
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The basic Click-N-Type keyboard could be completely visible on a screen of any s
ize or resolution. The Click-N-Type window is fully resizable to our needs and c
an be repositioned to any place on our screen. There are many options to modify
its appearance. For example, the Speed Keyboard option changes the alphabetic ke
y layout based on the frequency of letter usage in the English language. This ke
eps our mouse movement to a minimum and speeds up typing. We can also customize
our alphabet to fit our needs. For more specialized needs, we can even build our
own keyboard. Of course, when not in use Click-N-Type may be minimized so it s
out of our way.
APPLICATIONS
Writing sentences on PDAs still requires a lot of patience and practice. Some ol
der models require people to enter data with a proprietary scrawl, while newer m
odels use tiny keyboards that require dexterous, strong thumbs. And full-size ke
yboards just don t go well with the latest svelte devices. Even though these (ha
ndheld) devices are capable of sophisticated applications there s really no way
to reasonably use those applications, especially those that require entering dat
a, like e-mail. Virtual keyboards project an image of a full-size keyboard on an
y flat surface. It also emits an infrared beam that detects the position and mot
ion of a typist s hands. Tapping on the image of a key produces the correspondin
g character on the device. In addition to small devices projection keyboards cou
ld be used to create a control-panel projection that offers virtual knobs and sw
itches for use in hazardous environments, as well as in medical markets where st
erile data entry is a concern.Even though PDAs have capabilities like word proce
ssing and spreadsheets, they’re generally not utilized because they
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lack a practical keyboard. Virtual Keyboard provides a full-size computer keyboa
rd that disappears when not in use.
The keyboard will be convenient for people who travel so they can easily access
information through web pages. So when designing pages, it will be important to
make sure the pages include complete and updated information.
This keyboard will be efficient for individuals that have physical disabilities.
This technology will provide a keyboard that does not require force to activate
the keys.Since a virtual keyboard does not violate the sterile environment, thi
s has wide applications in the medical field. Moreover the technology will cause
our laptops and palmhelds to shrink to pocket computers.
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CONCLUSION
Writing sentences on PDAs still requires a lot of patience and practice. Some ol
der models require people to enter data with a proprietary scrawl, while newer m
odels use tiny keyboards that require dexterous, strong thumbs. And full-size ke
yboards just don t go well with the latest svelte devices. Virtual keyboards are
projected images of the real thing that let typists compose their sentences on
any flat surface. They are inching closer to store shelves. The keyboard will be
convenient for people who travel so they can easily access information through
web pages. This will be efficient for individuals that have physical disabilitie
s. This technology will provide a keyboard that does not require force to activa
te the keys. It will serve disabled people better. Virtual keyboard is the last
piece in the evolving convergence of personal computers, mobile phones, personal
digital assistants (PDAs), and the internet. Hope soon the time will arrive whe
n the laptops shrink more to pocket devices and the now available pocket devices
still smaller.
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Appendix I
Smart phone
The term smart phone is sometimes used to characterize a wireless telephone set
with special computer-enabled features not previously associated with telephones
. In addition to functioning as an ordinary telephone, a smartphone s features m
ay include:
• • • • • • • • • •
Wireless e-mail, Internet, Web browsing, and fax Intercom function Personal info
rmation management Online banking LAN connectivity Graffiti style data entry Loc
al data transfer between phone set and computers Remote data transfer between ph
one set and computers Remote control of computers Remote control of home or busi
ness electronic systems
Wearable computers
Some inventors and other theorists not only believe you could wear a computer; t
hey believe there s no reason why you shouldn t. Assuming you remembered to wear
it, a wearable computer is always available. Currently, several companies sell
wearables and there is a considerable literature on the subject. Some wearable c
omputers are basically desktop or notebook computers that have been scaled down
for body-wear. Others employ brand
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new technology. Both general and special purposes are envisioned. A number of we
arables have been designed for the disabled.
Among the challenges of wearable computers are: how to minimize their weight and
bulkiness, how and where to locate the display, and what kind of data entry dev
ice to provide. Some of the applications envisioned for wearable computers inclu
de: Augmented memory, a concept originated by Thad Starner and being developed b
y Bradley Rhodes at the MIT Media Lab, in which as you enter a room, your wearab
le computer could sense the people present and remind you of their names or pers
onal history, or a scheduler could whisper the time of an important meeting in y
our ear, or a "remembrance agent" could look for related documents by observing
the words you were typing Immediate access to important data for anyone whose oc
cupation requires mobility, such as real estate agents, rural doctors, fire and
police professionals, lawyers in courtrooms, horse bettors, military personnel,
stock brokers, and many others The ability to take notes immediately. For exampl
e, for reporters, geologists, botanists, vendor show representatives, field serv
ice repair personnel.
Wearable computers
In Web page development, an image map is a graphic image defined so that a user
can click on different areas of the image and be linked to different destination
s. You make an image map by defining each of the sensitive areas in terms of the
ir x and y coordinates (that is, a certain horizontal distance and a certain ver
tical distance from the left-hand corner of the image). With each set of coordin
ates, you specify a Uniform Resource Locator or Web address that will be linked
to when the user clicks on that area.
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The X and Y coordinates are expressed in pixels either in a separate file called
a map file or in the same HTML file that contains the link to the image map. Po
pular tools like MapEdit provide a graphical interface for creating an image map
(so that you don t have to figure out the X and Y coordinate numbers yourself).
Originally, the map file had to be sent to the server. Now the creator can place
the map information either at the server or at the client (a "clientside map").
Image maps are used widely on many Web sites as a more adventuresome form of ma
in menu.
TouchScreen
A touch screen is a computer display screen that is sensitive to human touch, al
lowing a user to interact with the computer by touching pictures or words on the
screen. Touch screens are used with information kiosks, computer-based training
devices, and systems designed to help individuals who have difficulty manipulat
ing a mouse or keyboard. Touch screen technology can be used as an alternative u
ser interface with applications that normally require a mouse, such as a Web bro
wser. Some applications are designed specifically for touch screen technology, o
ften having larger icons and links than the typical PC application. Monitors are
available with built-in touch screen technology or individuals can purchase a t
ouch screen kit. A touch screen kit includes a touch screen panel, a controller,
and a software driver. The touch screen panel is a clear panel attached externa
lly to the monitor that plugs into a serial or Universal Serial Bus (USB) port o
r a bus card installed inside the computer. The touch screen panel registers tou
ch events and passes these signals to the controller. The controller then proces
ses the signals and sends the data to the processor. The software driver transla
tes touch events into mouse events. Drivers can be provided for both Windows and
Macintosh operating systems. Internal touch screen
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kits are available but require professional installation because they must be in
stalled inside the monitor.
There are three types of touch screen technology: Resistive: A resistive touch s
creen panel is coated with a thin metallic electrically conductive and resistive
layer that causes a change in the electrical current which is registered as a t
ouch event and sent to the controller for processing. Resistive touch screen pan
els are generally more affordable but offer only 75% clarity and the layer can b
e damaged by sharp objects. Resistive touch screen panels are not affected by ou
tside elements such as dust or water.
Surface wave: Surface wave technology uses ultrasonic waves that pass over the t
ouch screen panel. When the panel is touched, a portion of the wave is absorbed.
This change in the ultrasonic waves registers the position of the touch event a
nd sends this information to the controller for processing. Surface wave touch s
creen panels are the most advanced of the three types, but they can be damaged b
y outside elements. Capacitive: A capacitive touch screen panel is coated with a
material that stores electrical charges. When the panel is touched, a small amo
unt of charge is drawn to the point of contact. Circuits located at each corner
of the panel measure the charge and send the information to the controller for p
rocessing. Capacitive touch screen panels must be touched with a finger unlike r
esistive and surface wave panels that can use fingers and stylus. Capacitive tou
ch screens are not affected by outside elements and have high clarity.
Sensor Chips
Most people understand that light takes a finite time to travel between two poin
ts -- that photons of light from two different stars, for example, may have star
ted their journeys years, or even millennia apart. Since light
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travels essentially at a constant speed, if you know the time, you can calculate
the distance. The light illuminating each individual pixel in an image sensor c
omes from a different feature in the scene being viewed. Canesta recognized that
if you could determine the amount of time that light takes to reach each pixel,
you then could calculate with certainty the exact distance to that feature. In
other words, you could develop a three-dimensional "relief" map of the surfaces
in the scene. In three dimensions, objects previously indistinguishable from the
background, for example, metaphorically "pop" out. For a broad class of applica
tions, this proves extremely helpful in reducing the mathematical and physical c
omplexity that has plagued computer vision applications from the start. In a rec
ently-granted U.S. patent, Canesta describes several of its inventions for "timi
ng" the travel time of light to a unique, new class of low-cost sensor chips.
Fundamentally, the chips work in a manner similar to radar, where the distance t
o remote objects is calculated by measuring the time it takes an electronic burs
t of radio waves to make the round trip from a transmitting antenna to a reflect
ive object (like a metal airplane) and back. In the case of these chips, however
, a burst of unobtrusive light is transmitted instead. The chips, which are not
fooled by ambient light, either then time the duration it takes the pulse to ref
lect back to each pixel, using high speed, on-chip timers, in one method, or sim
ply count the number of returning photons -- an indirect measure of the distance
, in another. In either case, the result is an array of "distances" that provide
s a mathematically accurate, dynamic "relief" map of the surfaces being imaged.
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chip processor running Canesta s proprietary imaging software that further refin
es the 3-D representation before sending it off chip to the OEM application.
Image Precessing Software
The second component of Canesta s electronic perception
technology is a robust body of new, "industrial grade" software designed for rea
l-world applications. Since Canesta s software starts with a three-dimensional v
iew of the world, provided "for free" by the hardware, it has a substantial adva
ntage over classical image processing software that struggles to construct three
dimensional representations using complex mathematics, and using images from mul
tiple cameras or points of view. This significant reduction in complexity makes
it possible to embed the application-independent portion of the processing softw
are directly into the chips themselves so they may be used in the most modestly-
priced, and even pocket-sized, electronic devices. In addition, it accounts for
the remarkable ability of the technology to compute 3-dimensional image maps at
more than 50 frames per second; remarkable compared to existing technology that
can take from several seconds to several minutes to generate a 3-dimensional rep
resentation of a single, static frame. Finally, with an expectation of its use n
ot only in mission critical applications such as medical instrumentation, automo
tive, or security, but in the notoriously unforgiving consumer products arena, C
anesta s software features tolerant, self calibrating algorithms, and is built u
sing a layered software model that features compact code, for ease of embedding
in modest applications. Although the foregoing discussion has focused on two spe
cific electronic perception chip designs, Canesta, with over 20 hardware and sof
tware patents filed, and with more on the way, has substantial research and
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development initiatives underway that will result in future technology disclosur
es, product announcements, and strategic alliances well beyond what is discussed
here.
Electronic Perception Technology
Electronic perception technology permits machines, consumer and electronic devic
es, or virtually any other class of modern product to perceive and react to obje
cts and individuals in the nearby environment in real time, particularly through
the medium of "sight," utilizing low-cost, high-performance, embedded sensors a
nd software. What sets electronic perception technology apart from classical "co
mputer vision" applications, is that for the first time, actionable information
can be developed in real time by observation of the nearby environment utilizing
an ultra-low-cost sensor technology that is a size comparable to that found in
nature. And as portable. The goal of electronic perception technology is to make
it
possible for devices or applications of any complexity, from "lightweight" appli
ances, PDAs, cell phones, or games, to heavyweight vehicle control, airport secu
rity, or national security-class applications, to be able to perceive objects an
d features in the nearby environment such that identification and action are pra
ctical and possible.///Canesta has taken a leadership role in defining and imple
menting practical electronic perception technology with the development of low-c
ost, semiconductor-based image sensor chip technology and powerful embedded imag
e processing software. Canesta s technology provides actionable perceptions or i
dentifications to third-party applications that permit these applications embedd
ing Canesta s technology to react in a manner appropriate to their function.
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REFERENCE
Websites :
www.pcworld.com www.senseboard.com www.canesta.com www.ananova.com www.virtual-k
eyboard.com www.lakefolks.com www.time.com
Other References :
Electronics for you Scientific American
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