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Senseg creates textures on perfectly flat touchscreen displays

Senseg creates textures on perfectly flat touchscreen displays

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Senseg has now built a prototype of its displays into a tablet, using electrostatic fields to create textures on a totally flat surface.

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Senseg might have been around since 2008, but the company has now built a prototype of its displays into a tablet. The tactile panel tech uses electrostatic fields to simulate different levels of friction, allowing it to generate the sensation of texture on a totally flat screen. CNET got a chance to try out the display, and said that the textures it creates are easily recognisable — moving from gravel, to packing material, to sandpaper creates distinct, familiar feelings. The video also shows the potential implications for gaming, opening up a new level of immersion for designers.

Unlike other haptic technologies, there's no reliance on moving parts or any physical change to the screen, meaning that Senseg's concepts could be integrated into the same devices we use today. However, in order to make it into the hands of consumers, Senseg needs to secure hardware partners — something that company representative Dave Rice says is happening now, with hope that the tech will appear in devices within the next one or two years.