With many mobile devices, you want to type in text and other information, but you’re often hobbled by a small display that shows a little touch keyboard. With a wearable device, such as a smartwatch, the screen is too small to use to enter text.
The folks at Tap Systems believe that they have the solution. The Tap Strap is a Bluetooth device that turns any surface — or even the air — into a one-hand keyboard. You place your fingers through the holes in a flexible strap, and the strap senses your finger motions. As with any one-handed keyboarding system, you must learn a new system. The company insists that a “mnemonic-based learning system” will train users in “about one hour” using tutorials and a game. The device is in beta testing, and expected to ship before the end of 2016. A development kit will also be available so that companies can develop their products to use the Tap platform.
One-handed typing devices have never caught on with consumers, though they have been around for decades. The Tap Strip could be a handy input device for wearable devices, but it remains to be seen whether or not it will be easy enough to use.
