Google moves to patent laser-projected keyboard

In what could be part of its Project Glass platform, Google has filed a patent for a laser-projected virtual keyboard that allows a user to type on his or her arm.

 

An abstract of Google's patent application described a system for a "virtual input device" that could include a projector and a camera.

 

"The projector projects a pattern onto a surface. The camera captures images that can be interpreted by a processor to determine actions. The projector may be mounted on an arm of a pair of eyeglasses and the camera may be mounted on an opposite arm of the eyeglasses," it said.

 

Such a pattern for a virtual input device can be projected on a user's "display hand" and the camera can detect when the user uses the other hand to give input.

 

It also said the camera may detect when the display hand is moving and interpret display hand movements as inputs, and/or realign the projection on the moving display hand.

 

Google listed the inventors as Thad Eugene Starner; Liang-Yu (Tom) Chi; and Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez.

 

A separate article on Unwiredview.com said Google's patent takes laser projected virtual keyboards, which have been around for some time, one step further.

 

"By projecting a virtual keypad onto your hand, it allows you to control it via various gestures. Tilting, rotating your hand, moving a thumb, pressing a fist, etc. will let you do a lot of cool things even with a simplified keypad that fits on your hand. And, since the projector and camera is already there, if you need to do some serious typing – just sit down and have a full blown QWERTY keyboard projected onto a flat surface in front of you," it said. — TJD, GMA News