steering vibrations

Filed in archive Technology on December 9, 2004

The Economist has another good one the most recent tech survey about a technology that makes steering electric appliances possible by touching walls (or any other named object):

"IMAGINE being able to tap anywhere on a wall to turn the lights on and off, or to change radio stations in the dining room simply by knocking on the table. Or how about dialling a phone number in the shower by tapping numbers on the glass door? Many things are powered by electricity and controlled by computer chips, but they co-exist with other items that are nothing but dumb, inanimate objects. A French firm believes a marriage is in order, and has developed a way to make hard surfaces such as walls, windows and table-tops into controls for consumer electronics, computers, household appliances and lighting, among other things.

Interesting idea. That's what Sofinnova Partners thought as well and has invested EUR 2 million recently. More at Techworthy.