Virtual

Keyboard
Prepared by



Himanshu Chanana


06IT020


11/28/09 1
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

Ø What is Virtual Keyboard?

Ø What you can do with a Virtual Keyboard?
Ø Virtual Keyboard Technical Terms.
Ø How does the Virtual Keyboard work?
Ø Reasons to use the Virtual Keyboard.
Ø Uses of Virtual Keyboard.
Ø Virtual Keyboard advantages.
Ø Virtual Keyboard drawbacks.
Ø Conclusion.
Ø Some Virtual Keyboards.
Ø
Ø
Ø
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 What is a Virtual
Keyboard ?
Ø A Virtual (projection) keyboard is a full-size virtual
keyboard projected and touched on any surface.


Ø The keyboard watches your fingers move and translates

that action into keystrokes in the device.
Ø
Ø Virtual Keyboard is just another example of today’s
computer trend of ‘smaller and faster’.
Ø
Ø The virtual keyboard technology uses sensor technology
and artificial intelligence to let users work on any flat
surface as if it were a keyboard.

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What you can do with a
Virtual Keyboard ?
Ø The Virtual Keyboard uses the infrared & laser technology
to project a full-size keyboard onto any flat surface. So
you can use it almost anywhere.


Ø
Ø The Virtual Keyboard is not restricted to the ‘QWERTY’
touch-typing paradigm ; adjustments can be done to
the software to fit other touch-typing paradigms as well,
such as the ‘DVORAK’ keyboard.
Ø

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 Virtual Keyboard Technical
Terms..


1. Sensor Module
The Sensor Module serves as the eyes of the Keyboard


Perception technology. The Sensor Module operates by

locating the user's fingers in 3-D space and tracking the
intended keystrokes.




2. Infra Red Light Source
An invisible infra-red beam is projected above the virtual


keyboard. Finger makes keystroke on virtual keyboard. This

breaks infrared beam and infrared light is reflected back to
projector. The Sensor chip in the sensor module determines
where the infrared beam was broken. Detected co-ordinates
determine actions or characters to be generated.


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 Virtual Keyboard Technical
Terms..

3. Pattern Projector
 The Pattern Projector or optional printed image presents the
image of the keyboard of the system. This image can be
projected on any flat surface. The projected image is that of
a standard ‘QWERTY’ key-board, with all the keys and
control functions as in the keyboard.

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How does the Virtual
Keyboard work ?

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 How does the Virtual
Keyboard work ? (Contd..)


Step 1: Template creation (Pattern Projector)
 A template of the desired interface is projected onto the
adjacent interface surface. The template is produced by
illuminating a specially designed, highly efficient holographic
optical element with a red diode laser.


 Step 2: Reference Plane Illumination (IR Light


Source)
 An infra-red plane of light is generated just above, and
parallel to, the interface surface. This light is invisible to the
user and hovers a few millimeters above the surface. When
the user touches a key position on the interface surface light
is reflected from this plane in the vicinity of the key and
directed towards the sensor module.

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 How does the Virtual
Keyboard work ? (Contd..)
 Step 3: Map Reflection Co-ordinates (Sensor

Module)
 Reflected light from user interactions with the interface
surface is passed through an infra-red filter and imaged on to
a CMOS image sensor in the sensor module.
Custom hardware embedded in the sensor chip (the Virtual
Interface Processing Core) then makes a real-time
determination of the location of the reflected light.
The processing core can track multiple reflection events
simultaneously and can thus support both multiple
keystrokes and single keystrokes.


 The sensor watches finger movements and translates them

into keystrokes in the device.
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Reasons to use the Virtual
Keyboard
Ø It takes up less desk space than a conventional keyboard.
Ø
Ø The typing does not require a lot of force. So easing the
strain on wrists and hands.
Ø
Ø When connected to your handheld computer it is more
convenient to carry around than your laptop.
Ø
Ø You can use it with your desktop, laptop, PDAs, Smart
phones or handheld computer .
Ø
Ø No driver software necessary, it can be used as a plug
and play device.

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 Uses Of Virtual Keyboard

 BY PROFESSIONALS  BY STUDENTS
Ø To take notes during a Ø To take notes while in
business meeting. class (no one will
hear your keying).
Ø

Ø As computer/PDA input. Ø

Ø To work on a paper
Ø

Ø To do everyday work at
your desk without while in the library.
Ø

taking up so much Ø To do homework while

valuable space. you are on break at
work.
Ø

Ø High-tech and industrial

Sectors.

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Virtual Keyboard
Advantages
Ø It can be projected on any surface or you can type in the
plain air .
Ø
Ø It can be useful in places like operation theatres where
low noise is essential.
Ø
Ø The typing does not require a lot of force. So easing the
strain on wrists and hands.
Ø
Ø High battery life. The standard coin-sized lithium battery
lasts about eight months before needing to be
replaced.
Ø
Ø The Virtual Keyboard is not restricted to the ‘QWERTY’
touch-typing paradigm, adjustments can be done to the
software to fit other touch-typing paradigms as well.
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Virtual Keyboard
Drawbacks
Ø Virtual keyboard is hard to get used to. Since it involves
typing in thin air, it requires a little practice. Only
people who are good at typing can use a virtual
keyboard efficiently.
Ø
Ø It is very costly ranging from 150 to 200 dollars. So not
everyone can buy this product.
Ø
Ø The room in which the projected keyboard is used
should not be very bright so that the keyboard is
properly visible.

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 Conclusion
 Virtual Keyboard uses sensor technology and artificial
intelligence to let users work on any surface as if it were a
keyboard. Projection key boards or virtual key boards claim
to provide the convenience of compactness with the
advantages of a full-blown QWERTY keyboard. Virtual
Keyboard is designed for anyone who's become frustrated
with trying to put information into a handheld but doesn't
want to carry a notebook computer around.
 Thus virtual keyboards will make typing easier,
faster, and almost a pleasure.

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Some Virtual Keyboards

I-Tech Virtual Keyboard Celluon Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard

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References

Ø http://www.howstuffworks.com
Ø www.canesta.com
Ø www.procams.org
Ø www.billbuxton.com/3state.html
Ø www.smarttech.com
Ø http://www.virtual-laserkeyboard.com/demo.asp
Ø www.laser-keyboard.com
Ø www.wikipedia.org

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 Question
s?

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 THANK YOU

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