Microsoft Research appears to be hard at work on technologies we can only dream of. One of the technologies they’re currently researching is a flexible surface that works like a smart cover for the Microsoft Surface tablet.
Called FlexSense, the material is a transparent piece of plastic that can sit on top of the tablet and provide the end-user with some truly unique methods of input without the need for external sensors. No cameras or Kinect-like motion detectors are needed for it to function.
In addition to demonstrating how you can physically peel or flip layers of a user interface to naturally reveal parts of an image that has a filter applied, Microsoft Research unveiled a potential use of FlexSense as a gaming controller for a game that allows players to control a magic carpet by flapping the sheet’s sides.
Given its potential applications in gaming, its easy to see how the FlexSense could be Microsoft’s secret new interface for the Xbox One. Only time will tell whether the device gets a use beyond potentially working as a cover for the Microsoft Surface.
Be sure to skip to 3:40 to check out its application as a gaming controller.
