Apple Is Planning To Re-invent The Keyboard

Apple is Patent crazy. It seems like it's every week that we see some new invention from the Cupertino Company and today's patent looks to re-invent the humble Keyboard.

Not content with adding a whole new myriad of gesture to Lion, Apple is researching new ways to make a next generation keyboard that would be a ultra-slim touch sensitive keyboard that you could find in a future MacBook.

This sort of tech is nothing new there are already several versions of the idea on sale at the moment. One such version is where a infra-red keyboard is projected in front of a users showing a full qwerty keyboard and is used for phones and tablets where the touchscreen version just doesn't cut it. But Apple's version seems to take the concept a little further.

The patent application goes into details on several ways of building a flat surface touch keyboard. One way it could work would be a solid piece of metal or plastic with the keyboard buttons stamped or machined into the surface to allow users to simply press or tap the keyboard keys.

A more radical approach would be a clear piece of glass, which would sit over a interface of keyboard buttons - this would also be coupled with a haptic feedback mechanism so you'd actually know when you hit a key.

Apple explains that the flat keyboard would detect inputs using a combination of piezo-electric sensors and capacitive sensors. It also describes versions of the design with seismometers and accelerometers added into the mix to better detect the way the user is interacting with the surface.

While we don't really think the physical feedback offered by a traditional keyboard is about to be ditched, Mac OS X Lion shows Apple is serious about making touch a much bigger deal for laptops.

What do you think of the latest Apple patent, is a touch enabled keyboard a good idea ? Or is the prospect of ditching traditional keyboards a nightmare vision the future. As ever let us know below.