Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) plans to revolutionize the customary trackpad with a touch pad according to a latest patent filing. Apple filed a patent with the U.S. Patent and trademark office named “Touch pad with force sensors and actuator feedback,” which suggests that a track pad would be fitted with sensors instead of a click button for responding to the touch of the user, says a report from Apple Insider.
Sensors would respond, as well
There are many OEMs that place click buttons below or above the track pad sensor, but in the MacBook from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) the click features in integrated into the touch pad itself, and it also needs to be pressed to execute the function.
In the patent, it is described that the sensors would be integrated on all four corners of the track pad. The sensors would capture the force of the user’s touch, and respond in turn. Also, the sensors instead of physically moving down after the press would give tactile feedback. Audible vibrations, which will sound like the click when user taps down the touch pad, would also be build in.
Also, a user could adjust the sensitivity of the sensors based on the kind of touch reaction required. There is a possibility that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) would leave some space under and around the track pad by removing the need for dedicated click controls, says a report from CNET.
Apple sees many uses
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) describes that the touchpad pressure sensitivity is very useful for various functions. The function performed would alter with the pressure by which a user touches the sensor pad. For instance, a user touches the sensor pad lightly to select various items and a forceful click would be used to rearrange or drag an item between folders. Pressure sensitivity could be useful for artists to make a similar impression of a pen and brush strokes in apps like Photoshop, says iSource
On the other hand, tactile feedback will have range of uses like the track pad could probably vibrate to ensure that the file has been moved to a new folder. This technology would be the much like the one used in audio feedback provided by the OS X.
