Imagine a cellphone that bends to block a inquisitive
bystander from reading your private messages! Researchers, including an Indian
origin scientist, have developed prototypes for gen-next shape-shifting smart
phones and mobile devices that can change form on-demand.
The research introduces the term ‘shape resolution’ and
its ten features, to describe the resolution of an interactive device, in
addition to display and touch resolution.
The research, led by Dr Anne Roudaut and Professor
Sriram Subramanian, from the University of Bristol's Department of Computer
Science, have used 'shape resolution' to evaluate the resolution of six
prototypes the team have built using the latest technologies in shape changing
material, such as shape memory alloy and electro active polymer.
One example of a device is the team’s concept of
Morphees, self-actuated stretchy mobile devices that can change shape on-demand
to better fit the many services they are expected to support.
The team believes Morphees will be the next generation
of mobile devices, where users can download applications that embed a dedicated
form factor, for instance the "stress ball app" that collapses the
device in on itself or the "game app" that makes it adopt a
console-like shape.
"The interesting thing about our work is that we
are a step towards enabling our mobile devices to change shape on-demand,"
Roudaut, Research Assistant in the Department of Computer Science's Bristol
communication and Graphics group, said.
By comparing the shape resolution of their prototypes,
the researchers have created insights to help designers towards creating high
shape resolution Morphees.
In future, the team hopes to build higher shape
resolution Morphees by investigating the litheness of materials.
They are also engrossed in exploring other kinds of
deformations that the prototypes did not explore, such as porosity and stretch
ability.
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