Type–Hover–Swipe In 96 Bytes: A Motion Sensing Mechanical Keyboard

Microsoft is experimenting with ways to combine track-pad gestures on traditional PC keyboards. In a research paper published recently, the software maker reveals a prototype that combines an Apple keyboard with an array of infrared proximity sensors that are mounted above the key caps. No external sensors are required, and the end result is something similar to Leap Motion. The prototype keyboard, which looks like a regular thin keyboard, supports gestures like swipe and pinch-to-zoom to navigate documents.

According to report on published on Microsoft's site,there's set to be a new platform to data input into the electronic machines. 

Here's a picture preview by Microsoft:

 

A video Demo was also release along with the whitepaper: You can access the video via this link Microsoft Gesture Keyboard

Here's a brief of the released report: 

"We presenting a new type of augmented mechanical keyboard, sensing rich and expressive motion gestures performed both on and directly above the device.

A low-resolution matrix of infrared (IR) proximity sensors is interspersed with the keys of a regular mechanical keyboard. This results in coarse but high frame-rate motion data. We extend a machine learning algorithm, traditionally used for static classification only, to robustly support dynamic, temporal gestures. We propose the use of motion signatures a technique that utilizes pairs of motion history images and a random forest classifier to robustly recognize a large set of motion gestures. Our technique achieves a mean per-frame classification accuracy of 75:6% in leave–one–subject–out and 89:9% in half-test/half-training cross-validation. We detail hardware and gesture recognition algorithm, provide accuracy results, and demonstrate a large set of gestures designed to be performed with the device. We conclude with qualitative feedback from users, discussion of limitations and areas for future work".

The gesture-oriented keyboard has this to display just for you:

The Verge reported that "While there are many new and emerging ways to interact with PCs, Microsoft’s system looks like it could be one of the more natural and easy to use, a way to compliment an existing mouse instead of replacing it. Simple gestures like swiping down on keyboard keys navigates a page downwards, and there’s even support for gestures when you hover above the keyboard. The prototype is simply research for now, but it’s not impossible to imagine Microsoft could manufacture a keyboard that’s capable of this gesture support. Microsoft’s Surface Touch Cover already supports a number of keyboard gestures, and the company has hinted at its plans to extend this hardware in the future".

With this latest development in data input mechanism with "Type–Hover–Swipe in 96 Bytes: A Motion Sensing Mechanical Keyboard", I'm submitting that Computer Systems are now beginning to have the "gene" to detect your gesture.

I'm rendering Kudos to the Microsoft Team for this development.