Turn anything (even your clothes) into a touchscreen

Want the convenience of a touch screen, without the hassle of removing your phone from your pocket? Researchers at Microsoft have you covered, with two new touch-interface that allows any surface into a touch screen or control the phone from a pocket.

OmniTouch combine a pico projector and a Kinect-like depth-sensing camera in a shoulder-mounted device that can project a multitouch interface on a wall, desk or even create your own hand. Users can define the size and location of their own interfaces, or have the system determine the best choice in the display.

Chris Harrison, who worked on the project, calling it a "mega Kinect hack" and an extension of his former unit, which can just work on the skin. While the prototype unit is quite bulky, the team says it could be possible for future versions of the size of a matchbox to be.

If you prefer not to project your screen so everyone can see, touch, pocket you can manage your phone while you are in your pants. The team created a prototype device with a grid of touch sensors that finger strokes can be detected using the drug and developed a specific lock gesture reorientates screen every time you use it - avoiding the need for the phone upside down to use interface.

They found that the screen was sensitive enough to existing contact Microsoft recognition software that makes it possible to send an SMS using one character at a time, or manage your playlists with a few strokes of your thighs. Both systems will be featured this week on User Interface Software and Technology conference in Santa Barbara, California.