The company Sensel has launched a Kickstarter campaign to develop its new portable iPad-sized ‘Sensel Morph.’
The Sensel Morph is a new kind of pressure-sensitive, multi-touch input device that uses the next generation of touch technology, allows people to interact with computers and programs in a whole new way.
It allows you to create your own overlays and thus your own “forms” of the Morph. The Morph can detect not just your fingers but any object, from a paintbrush to a drumstick.
You can connect it to your computer via USB, to your iPad via Bluetooth, or to your Arduino via developer cables.
The name “Morph” came from the realization that each overlay allows the device to morph into a new physical, tactile interface. Using unique magnetic identification codes, the sensor automatically detects each overlay and makes switching modes completely seamless.
The Overlays are optional “physical apps” made of a thin, flexible layer that you can place over the device to provide a visual “map” and tactile feedback for each mode’s unique functionality.
The use of various overlays – thin, magnetic, flexible, and fully customizable surfaces in the Sensel Morph that turn the device into virtually any tool or instrument imaginable.
Each overlay has magnets embedded in it. These magnets have unique coding for each overlay, and are thus automatically detected by the device.
Users will not only be able to create new, custom interfaces for themselves using the simple drag-and-drop interface, but they will be able to easily share these interfaces with the entire community of Sensel Morph owners and talk to one another.
The size of the device is similar to an iPad, which was purposefully done to make the Morph and the overlays easily portable.
The Morph has approximately 20,000 individual sensor elements at a spacing of 1.25mm (that’s less than 1/16”) and detects the individual pressure of each contact point. It can detect up to 16 contact points.
Unlike other touch technologies, which can only sense conductive objects, each of the sensor elements in this device senses pressure with a high dynamic range. These sensors allow us to capture a high-resolution image of the pressure applied to the device.
How can Sensel possibly fit 20,000 individual sensors into a device?
The reason is that it requires three major innovations to make this technology possible – innovations in materials, manufacturing, and electronics.
The first major innovation is to custom-formulate a highly-tuned polymer layer which gives each individual sensor element the ability to sense force. This material enables the product to have high sensitivity and a high dynamic range. In other words, it can detect anything from a feather-light tap to a hard push and everything in between (with over 4,000 detectable voltage levels).
The second major innovation is the use of advanced lithographic manufacturing processes (similar to how circuit-boards and semiconductors are built). In contrast, most force-sensing arrays available on the market today are screen printed (typically on a Mylar™ film), and thus cannot achieve high resolution or consistency, in comparison to Sensel’s process. This process allowed to create a very high resolution array of sensor elements on the same circuit board.
Every sensor needs electronics to power it, read out signals and interpret those signals. The third major innovation is a new, patented electrical drive scheme and electrical circuitry that allows us to read this high-resolution sensor with commonly available electronic components, quickly and efficiently. This allows us to drive an exceptionally high-resolution sensor at high speed (>125 Hz), low latency (< 8 ms), and low power consumption at an affordable price point.
The thin and lightweight aluminum housing for the Morph is designed by Hive Design , yet provides rigidity (necessary for when you’re really jamming on your device). It also holds the magnets which are used for overlay attachment and looks beautiful alongside your other devices.
The Morph can be used without overlays in two ways. That is developers can use the Sensel API to get touch data to use in any application and an online tool that lets users try out new overlay functionalities before purchasing physical overlays. You can also use the device as a trackpad.
As said in Kickstarter campaign, backers can pledge for $249 or more, will get a Morph and three overlays of their choice. The Sensel Morph will be shipped in Q2 of 2016.
