The development of touchpads seems to have stalled, considering they completely dominate the mobile space. But in the background, projects like the Sensel Morph, which aims to commercialize a touchpad with 20,000 integrated sensors, so precise and sensitive that they allow users to use a real brush on its surface, registering every contact without errors.
In recent years we have seen several attempts to replace the mouse with touch surfaces. The first example that comes to mind is Apple's Magic Trackpad, while its new Force Touch technology adds the force component in addition to touch. Laptops tend to benefit the most from a feature like this, but desktop systems operate by slightly different rules. What works well for a compact computer doesn't necessarily fit in towers and All-in-Ones, although with the right adjustments, some ideas can be adapted or expanded.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/uU9XvOe-osEMore Than a Touchpad
That possibility brings us to Sensel, the company developing the Sensel Morph touchpad. At first glance, it looks like a kind of accessory for the iPad Mini, but in reality it is much more than that. The Sensel Morph can be connected via USB or Bluetooth, and also offers Arduino support thanks to a special cable. However, the most important aspect of this hardware is its ability to register even the slightest point of pressure. With the help of 20,000 integrated sensors, the Sensel Morph is so sensitive that we could use a brush on it and paint on a digital canvas. And that's not all: the Sensel Morph has different "layers" that transform it into a keyboard, a piano, a gamepad, a music production tray, and many more things.
The Sensel Morph started its Kickstarter campaign a few days ago and has already surpassed its original goal by more than 300 percent. Various combinations are available, but those who want a touchpad with three layers of their choice will have to pay $249, or get two for $479. Sensel confirmed it will ship worldwide (there are no details on the cost), and the first deliveries will be delayed until June of next year. Even so, I think it is definitely worth the wait. With such precision and flexibility on its side, the Sensel Morph will not go unnoticed.
