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Kong Fanwen's No-Key Keyboard

Typing on a flat surface is one of those ideas for future computing that never seems to completely go away. Currently there's Bluetooth laser virtual keyboards, which project "keys" onto any flat surface. Recently the X0 model 2.0 (the next One Laptop Per Child) coming in 2010 was revealed to have two touch screens, one where the keyboard would usually be.

The latest is the No-Key Keyboard designed by Kong Fanwen. It features flat "keys" on flat glass. It's probably useless for real typing, but who cares? It looks cool.



The only details known are that it's made of glass, uses cameras and motion capture to figure out what keys you're pushing, and has some lights in it. You may be able to run it through the dishwasher, top rack only I assume. (Sadly, all the pictures show a connection cable... no Bluetooth?) No idea what it would cost or if it will ever even come to market in the U.S., or even elsewhere.

Considering the reports on how much creeping crud we all store under the keys of our existing keyboards maybe it's a design worth considering. But without tactile feedback - a response for each key touched - it will likely remain an oddity for us touch-typists. Though it's an oddity I'm willing to try.

[[via Boing Boing Gadgets]

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