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British Student Develops iPhone Software to Turn Table Top into Complete Keyboard

Here is a good news for all iPhone users as a British computing student at Goldsmiths named Florian Kraeutli has reportedly develop unique software. By using the software, any table top can be converted into a full sized keyboard that is invisible. The tool analyses vibrations when fingers tap the surface. The software is named as Vibrative that makes use of iPhone’s 3D accelerometer for measuring the attributes of every tap that is made on the table. The vibrations cause strength and frequency, which is compared with the ‘training data’ for working out the exact location.  This location is then converted into a virtual keyboard where the user can type.

The system is designed in such a way that it is successful to determine the keys a user intends to type almost every time (around 80%). To ensure the words are accurately spelled, the system feeds data into a dictionary that is auto correct.

Some people are saying that the signals are not that strong. Even Kraeutli also said the same thing. He said that the system is a proof that using iPhone as an invisible full fledged keyboard on a table top is possible. Once the sensitivity of the accelerator is improved the quality of signal and accuracy will also increase. He also elaborated on why the prospect of this system is higher if the smartphone accelerators are made more sensitive. The accelerometers in the smartphones are made less sensitive so that the devices can store more battery power. The software now works better on the surfaces that are smaller because more vibrations are made on such surfaces with every tap.

While elaborating the usage of the software, he said that it is important to make the system learn diverse patterns of vibrations of every surface on which it is being used. However, it is not necessary to teach the software of the different patters of individual keys. He also demonstrated the usage of the technology on a video. Kraeutli made use of a paper where “keyboard” is printed for the purpose of training the system and then typing a text message. He also demonstrated that for a tough typist, how the paper is not necessary. When Vibrative is properly trained, it can be used directly onto a wooden tabletop. The initiative of Kraeutli has won appreciation and the software seems to be useful by many experts.

Those who haven’t checked the video where Kraeutli is shown to train the keyboard software, are amazed on how he did it using iPhone as Apple do not permit the way how the iOS keyboards function. It was revealed that Kraeutli made use of an iPhone 4 that is jailbroken and thus he demonstrated the system without any issue of Apple’s restrictions. As the Android smartphones do not have such constraints, keyboard app technology such SwiftKey have flourished.

Now, it is to be seen how this software is further developed so that the smart phone users can use a table top like surface as a virtual keyboard easily.

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