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A groundbreaking device that is worn on your hand is set to change the way we type and interact with our phones, tablets, smart TVs and computers.
The Tap Strap allows users to type on any surface – from a coffee table to your own leg – and the movements are picked up and transmitted to the device you are working on via a Bluetooth link.
Start-up manufacturer Tap Systems claims the device offers “fast, accurate and eyes-free” typing while the system looms as a benefit for blind or low-vision users to communicate on their devices.
The unit is worn like a glove and by using a combination of movements – each finger represents a vowel, for instance – you can text or tweet from your phone from across the other side of the room or when you’re on the go.
It could also mean the end of that laborious process of searching for movies or programmes on your TV with the use of a remote control and on-screen keyboard.
The Tap Strap offers many other opportunities too – it can be used with iOS and Android phones and tablets, Mac and Windows PCs and smart TVs – although one of the obvious barriers when starting out is learning the movements required to type.
Tap Systems says it takes users about an hour to learn how to type using the system. That learning process is helped by an accompanying tutorial app, named TapGenius, which is initially available on iOS.
While each finger represents a vowel, different combinations of movements determine what letter, number, punctuation or other character is typed.
“Tap has the potential to become the communication mode of the future, providing fast, accurate interfacing in situations where no physical keyboard exists,” said Tap’s inventor David Schick, who only founded the company last year.
“Tap is more discreet and accurate than voice input, and is faster and more precise than gesture-based systems.
“Tap brings an entirely new dimension to how we can interface with the digital world,” said Ran Poliakine, Tap’s co-founder.
“Tap’s fundamental technology is applicable not only to language, but also to music, gaming and control. It is a new modality that opens up a world of creative possibilities.
“We are partnering with creative developers and select OEMs to help us unlock its full potential. Our goal is to create an ecosystem in which our partners utilise Tap to deliver new and exciting experiences for our users.”
Tap is now available to select beta users in the San Francisco Bay area, but is due to be shipped commercially before the end of this year.
