FingerWorks Announces a Gesture Keyboard for Apple PowerBooks

Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- FingerWorks, the creator of MultiTouch Gesture Recognition technology, announces the MacNTouch Gesture Keyboard for the Mac G4 line of PowerBooks and iBooks.

The MacNTouch Gesture Keyboard is a complete user interface that serves as mouse, standard keyboard, and powerful multi-finger gesture interpreter. Mouse operations like point, click, drag, scroll, and zoom are combined seamlessly with touch-typing and multi-finger gesture everywhere on the MacNTouch's surface. Proprietary hardware and software allows pointing right over the keys, thus eliminating the frequent movement of the hand between the keyboard and the touchpad. The MacNTouch has been designed to minimize stress and it gives users unprecedented control of their computer using hand gestures.

The layout of the keys is both novel and beneficial. The arch and inward rotation of each key row acts to reduce unhealthy wrist angles that makes conventional laptop keyboard usage cramped and uncomfortable. In addition, the mirror-symmetric slant of the key columns was designed to perfectly fit the fingers' natural movement, which tends to maximize typing efficiency. Both Qwerty and Dvorak keyboard layouts are being offered for the MacNTouch.

"Our TouchStream gesture keyboards pack a lot of power," explains Jeff Green, FingerWorks Mac-Products Sales Manager. "People are amazed by all the things a hand gesture user interface provides. We have a large number of easy- to-use gestures that cover just about every common computer operation. Users don't have to reach for hot-keys because gestures are faster and easier to do. Reaches for the touchpad are also eliminated because the pointing function always stays with the fingers. With our new gesture customization utilities, users are able to map any gesture to any function in their favorite application, and our XWinder utility allows users to move and resize windows in one step with hand rotation."

One MacNTouch user commented: "This technology is so cool; I'm surprised Apple didn't come up with it first. It's really nice not having to move my hands off the keyboard to reach for the touchpad anymore, and I just love the gestures. One thing's a little weird though -- typing is done in complete silence -- it's like one of those keyboards you see on Star Trek. " The MacNTouch is available only through FingerWorks' online store (www.fingerworks.com).

About MultiTouch Technology
MultiTouch Technology comprises hardware and software elements for sensing, tracking, and interpreting the motion of multiple hands and multiple fingers on a touch imaging surface. It allows people to use simple and easy- to-remember gestures that make computer use faster, more effective, and more productive. MultiTouch technology was invented and developed in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Delaware by the company founders, Dr. John G. Elias and Dr. Wayne C. Westerman. For more information visit www.fingerworks.com/multoverview.html

Source: FingerWorks, Inc.