Levitating Joystick Controls Computer

Posted on Mar 5, 08 05:52 PM PDT

We all know of the mouse and keyboard, but are you open to a new way of controlling your computer? How about using a computer controller levitated by magnets ala Maglev? This system apparently has more benefits over standard mechanical haptic controllers, where the computer interface will stimulate the user's sense of touch. Ralph Hollis and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University have developed this haptic device with just one moving part, where a bowl with electromagnets are concealed below its base, holding a levitating bar which is held by the user and can be moved in virtually any direction. The magnet will the exert necessary forces on the bar, simulating the resistance of a weight or a surface's resistance or friction. I guess games will benefit the most from this system - only if a commercial rollout occurs.

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