來自紐約大學的科學家已成立一家公司，要將一種使用新技術的彈性多點觸控螢幕推向一系列裝置，從電子閱讀器到樂器。這種新觸控螢幕能回應各種物體，包括手指與雙手。
該團隊，由來自Media Research Laboratory 的Ken Perlin 與Ilya Rosenberg 所領導，成立他們的公司「Touchco」來開發(fā)IFSR (interpolating force-sensitive resistance，內插式力感應電阻) 技術，那使用對施加在觸控點上之力或壓力敏感的電阻器。這，除了掃描技術與位置內插之外，（在理論上）允許無數(shù)量限制的同時觸碰輸入（對照其他觸控技術，例如iPhone 所使用的電容式觸控螢幕，那只能追蹤數(shù)量有限的觸碰點）。它耗電量低且價格便宜，因為Touchco 預計要以每平方英尺10 美元的價格來販售螢幕材料。這種技術能輕易縮放以用于小型或大型裝置中。
英文原文如下：
New multi-touch screen technology developed (w/ Video)
The team, led by Ken Perlin and Ilya Rosenberg from the Media Research Laboratory, formed their company Touchco to develop IFSR (interpolating force-sensitive resistance) technology, which uses resistors sensitive to the force or pressure applied to touch points. This, along with scanning technology and positional interpolation, allows for (theoretically) unlimited simultaneous touch inputs (in contrast to other touch technologies such as the capacitive touch screen used by iPhone, which can track limited touch points). It has low power requirements and is inexpensive, since Touchco expects to sell the screen material at $10 per square foot. The technology is easily scalable for use in small or large devices.
Perlin said that the IFSR technology is likely to appear in a new range of e-readers later this year, and will also be used in laptops or notebooks, and new types of musical instruments. In computer applications the touch pads allow the user to control the cursor with a light touch, but to select and manipulate objects when more pressure is applied.
The company has also been collaborating with Disney to develop a digital sketchbook that will use sensitive pressure sensors capable of differentiating between the touch of a hand, a pencil, brush or eraser. Drawing pictures is just one of many possible applications of the technology.
The touch pads consist of layers of FSR ink sandwiched between opaque or transparent sheets of plastic onto which conductive wires are printed. The total thickness is only 0.25 mm. When pressure is applied to an FSR sensor a current flows from the wires in one layer to the wires in the other layer, and the pressure applied is determined by the amount of electric current flowing from layer to layer. Arranging sensors in a grid would have been expensive and impractical, so Touchco developed scanners to measure the touches and determine their positions. Resolution is 254 µm (100 dpi), but this can be increased by decreasing the wire spacing.
Touchco has already begun selling developer kits to device manufacturers and expects to see IFSR technology finding many applications during 2010.
