Touchscreen keyboard morphs to fit your typing style

July 26, 2011 | Source: New Scientist One Per Cent
IBM Keyboard

Illustration from IBM's patent application for a morphing touchscreen keyboard (credit: IBM)

IBM recently filed a U.S. patent application for a morphing touchscreen keyboard interface that would automatically resize, reshape, and reposition keys based on a user’s typing style.

IBM proposes a system that would alter the size, shape, and location of keys to suit an individual’s physical anatomy, such as finger size, length, and range of motion. The user would first carry out a series of calibration exercises and the system would generate a touch keyboard interface based on the input.

After the initial setup, the system would also continue to monitor keyboard usage patterns over time and using averages, make changes to key shape, size, and position accordingly.