Synaptics, a popular maker of touch screens and track pads, is set to release a 10-finger multi-touch screen in November.
In addition to processing 10 input points at a time, the ClearPad 3000 will be able to handle complex, multi-finger gestures such as pinching and rotating. The underlying technology uses 48 sensing channels and supports screens of up to 8 inches. Other perks include lower latency and finer accuracy than Synaptics' previous screens, the company said.
Synaptics didn't say in its press release which brands will use the technology -- I imagine it's too early for that, and not Synaptics' job to disclose those manufacturers -- nor is there much discussion of what new uses will come of the technology. There's a brief mention of multi-user gaming, which could be fun, and 10-finger touching will certainly make larger touch screen keypads more practical.
Along with the ClearPad 3000, Synaptics also announced the Series 1,000 capacitive touch sensor, which allows single-finger and limited multi-touch gestures at a low cost to manufacturers.
All of this suggests that we'll be seeing a lot more touch screens in the years ahead, especially in mobile devices. At the start of 2009, some people, including myself, believed that this would be the year of the touch screen, but it seems this technology is just now coming into its own.
