Imagine being able to feel the buttons on your mobile when you slide them across the screen or feeling the material as wood, metal or stone.
Toshiba’s working on just such a project, which operates on the basis of a film affixed to your smartphone’s touch panel. Electrical currents are sent through this layer, and your fingers are shot up with the simulated sensation of touching those various surfaces.
And it is not fiction anymore as they have a working prototype and they weren’t shy to show it off.
Amnesia Blog 
Hey Stephan,
I constantly read the Amnesia blog and I’ve been trying to get in touch with someone there at the Amnesia offices about meeting up while I’m in Sydney. I’m looking for a Sydney partner to help with two of our clients here and I’d like to chat with someone on your team about the potential.
I’m in Sydney this week. Any interest in meeting up?
Thanks,
Drew
Hi Drew,
I am pretty sure we can organize to meet. I forwarded your details to our New Business Director Jennie and she will be in contact with you.
Thanks
Stephan
That is pretty freakin’ awesome. The last I heard in tactile feedback with touchscreens, it was all pneumatics and the idea of raising the screen in flexible segments when button areas/touchable areas were “active”.
This is far cooler science 😀
Is it just me, or are they running it on an iPhone?
This makes me even more interested in it! I would love to be able to feel the buttons as I dial or navigate within a game.
I think it is an iPod touch – Apple still has the best, most responsive touch screens on the market, so it makes sense to try your new tech on one of those