Tactile feedback touch screens possible?

[bryanl]

How?

 

[wirednuts]

membranes that change their physical properties under electrical charge. sort of like a reverse touchscreen. theyre working on it. metamaterials i think its called.

 

[fixbsod]

didnt apple just patent this??

 

[Modelworks]

It is actually easier than it seems. You can use ferrofluid to create any surface you want by just altering the magnetic field pattern. You can also sense touch by reading that same field and how it changes when a user moves the fluid with their finger. The cool thing is it really doesn't use any advanced tech, we have everything needed to do it right now and it mainly relies on electronics that have been around for 10+ years. The biggest obstacle is how to cover the fluid so that it doesn't become contaminated by whatever might be on the persons finger without losing the pattern in the fluid. If you use something like a plastic then you limit the amount the pattern can change because you are limited by how far the plastic can stretch.

Ferrofluids are fun to play with and you can even make them at home.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrofluid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsQh1AT6qUE