Anyone seen this?

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_548253.html?menu=news.technology

http://www.ananova.com/images/news/irkeyboardAP362x500.jpg

A full-size virtual keyboard projected by light on to any surface has been invented.

Beams of light, which detect the user's movements, make up the keyboard.

It can be integrated into mobile phones, laptops, tablet PCs or even sterile medical environments.

The gadget was unveiled by Siemens at the CeBIT computer fair in Hanover, Germany.

Siemens Procurement Logistics Services say the keyboard, manufactured by Developer VKB Inc, in Israel, could represent a revolution for data entry and the mini computer.

The mini projector that detects user interaction with the surface also simulates a mouse pad. It is also on show at CeBIT until Wednesday.

I want one!

Yes, and it's not new.

yes it's cool, and not all that hard to do by the way, and would be good in places where environmental degradation and interference is an issue, but speaking personally I really need to action of the key depressing to get the right feel for using a keyboard. That is my personal feeling though.

Nice edit, I like it :D

That kinda device would be handy where i work cause of how easy it'd be to clean.

Except it looks retarded to use.

FYI that PDA is a Palm V - About 5 years old now.

Good post Jem its new to me keep em comming

Apparently it's s***, barely works.

Just get a BT keyboard and be done with it.

how would it know which key you're pressing? I know how it works but it just seems like it'd be a little random to me

yeah i don't get it either, i mean your hand is covering heaps of letters whne you typing. you think it would get mistaken.

Yeh very old and I agree with the confused guys on how it works. Most of how I use the computer to touch type is on feel of the keys too so i'm sure you'd have ot keep looking down where you're fingers are=/

but your fingers technically shouldn't cross under each other during typing except perhaps with the exception of having your thumb covered (although they seem to have overcome this problem with a smaller, specifically positioned space bar. Thus if your finger is pressed onto the desk in a specific manner as to register a certain value on the sensor than it is pressing a key, and if it is not within one of the registered positions than a keystroke is not registered. It would probably use the assumption that all fingers are visible and not obscured by each other (which is the case if you are typing with the accepted correct technique) and thus you wouldn't be registering any false negatives.

that would be gumby because you cant kinda rest your hands on the keys...

be handy with a pda though.

This won't take off in the average home.... never..
Something more leet has to come out...

When i type I need the feel of the keys so i don't have to look at where my fingers are...
If you use this retarded laser thingy, you have to keep looking down where your fingers are...
Seems pointless.

If you think about it, our hands will be blind from typing?