Buttons on the phone will soon bid us goodbye. Come 2020, and some phones are set to replace the physical buttons for volume and power with what's called in technology as the "ultrasonic sensors" that's powering the virtual buttons. The advantages of such a development include a more enhanced waterproofing and durability, at least in the eyes of the startup UltraSense Systems with the hope of capitalizing on the idea.
In an article posted on CNET, it was indicated that when it is time to smash the usual power button or wind up the volume on the present time's phones, you are "most likely depressing a button that physically moves." In addition, UltraSense has now made more in-depth, its first product, a small chip package about "1.4mm by 2.4mm across, and 0.5mm deep" generating "Inaudible" sound waves.
TouchPoint Sensor
The sensor called TouchPiont that makes the virtual buttons function efficiently, not to mention, makes the phone more waterproof, is set for demonstration at the CES next month. The said sensor can determine if it is a button you're pressing by analyzing how the sound waves reflect or disperse. Additionally, it can also determine when it should not respond, like, from keys bumping or water splashing. This was explained by Dan Goehl, the Chief Business Officer of UltraSense.
Five of the big players in phone manufacturing and selling are already evaluating or integrating the TouchPoint sensors, and the first phones to use them are expected to arrive in the middle of next year. According to Ultrasense, the phone makers are accepting and welcoming this latest development in mobile technology as it means they need not cut holes anymore for real buttons to press into the phone chassis and have them lined with gaskets to make sure the liquids are kept out. These sensors cost approximately the same as the physical buttons for roughly $2.
Waterproof Phones
There are several examples of mobile devices with physical controls that already disappeared. The first iPod of Apple used to have a rotating wheel, and soon, it will be replaced by a touch-sensitive pad that can virtually determine when the user is twirling his finger. Just recently, Apple dropped its home buttons on its new iPads and iPhones, freeing up space for bigger screens, as well as moving the industry to "swipe gestures," instead.
The key to the success of UltraSense is the manner it can reproduce what the mobile users are used to, such as the physically navigating the button that can now be found by touch, and the knowledge that they have pressed the button hard enough. According to UltraSense, the exterior of phones can be patterned to locate sensors. Then, the haptic feedback motors can produce buzzes, as well as other sensations, to let a user know when the virtual button press has been registered.
The virtual buttons are sensitive enough to differentiate a finger from something else and function when the user has a pair of gloves on. The sensors are working within a broader temperature ranges. More so, the sensors require a minimal current of only about 20 milliamps so they can still be registered when the user desires to turn on his phone again. Lastly, the sensor of UltraSense is smaller and simpler to calibrate. And, a common substitute, the capacitive sensors are not working with gloves or beneath surfaces such as metal and wood.
