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Apple's desktop-to-touchscreen patent presents some industrial design challenges

By Rain Noe - August 24, 2010

in Object Culture

When I'm typing, I can't physically touch my screen without leaning forward. Not exactly a layout conducive to touchscreen interfaces.

If you were wondering how touchscreens could be ergonomically integrated into desktop machines, check out these patent drawings (filed by Apple in Europe and dug up by fansite Patently Apple) that show one possible design for a future iMac that could switch between keyboard and touchscreen modes.

A hinge enables the screen to be pulled towards the user and into a lower position, coming within comfortable fingertip range. The screen could detect its position and orientation, via a combination of rotation sensors in the hinge and an accelerometer in the screen itself, and adjust the on-screen content/interface accordingly.

Rumors indicate a touchscreen iMac will be released later this year, and if these drawings are accurate, we're very curious to see how Apple executes the industrial design challenges of the hinge and base. Absent counterweighting, the base will have to extend pretty far forward to support the weight of an iMac tilted to the extreme forward position, and there will presumably be some type of handle or area allocated for hand-guiding the screen from position to position.

I was a fan of the first iMac G4's chunky hinge and arm mechanism and am wondering if Apple, which typically does not look backwards, will return to something similar, or wow us with a previously unseen mechanism.

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Eric

14 years ago

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It's interesting to think of a converting desktop-to-tablet scenario. This one gets me thinking of the ergonomics of it, where the touchpad configuration seems to place touches higher than keyboard height. Obviously these are patent drawings and not indicative of a real product, but the extra height would be a disadvantage if said desktop had a rather large monitor. Perhaps more articulation in the design might be helpful?
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will

14 years ago

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Herman Miller acquired Thrive which has a desktop monitor support that already facilitates the mounting of a touch screen display and can be manipulated so that a user can ergonomically type on the screen. Better yet, the entire screen can be easily removed from the mount and taken with you (may need a lock for applications outside of the home).
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