Makers of
popular Beats headphones and Nike Running gadgets aims for world-beating
lightweight add-on for tablets or phones
The Guardian, Jemima Kiss, Monday 2 September 2013
 |
| The world's thinnest keyboard, which has been unveiled by Cambridge-based CSR at the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin. Photograph: Picasa/PR |
The company
behind the wireless Beats headphones and Nike Running gadget has unveiled the
world's thinnest keyboard, with a flexible, wireless touchscreen just half a
millimetre thick.
Cambridge-based CSR, which specialises in wireless technology, showcased a prototype of the
product at the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin, but it will be 12
months before it will be available to buy.
Paul
Williamson, CSR's director of low power wireless products, said the final form
factor depended on how manufacturers bring the keyboard to market, although its
primary use is likely to be as a lightweight, complementary external keyboard
for tablet devices. "This is a working prototype and a glimpse forward
rather than something people will be buying this year," he said.
"We might
see lots of shapes and sizes, some as small as iPad Mini or a larger, more
rigid form for a desktop PC, which could be curved, in any colour way,
transparent or fitted with a leather folio."
Developed
in partnership with Cambridge Inkjet Technology, the interface for the product
is printed out and can be customised. That could mean printing bespoke
keyboards in different languages with ease, or customised keyboards for
functions such as video editing and for customers who would like personalised
patterns or messages on their own keyboard.
The
keyboard's touchscreen could also be used under a piece of paper to transcribe
notes made with a pen and sync them to a computer.
CSR's
research has led to wireless products that enable music streaming in the popular
Beats headphones, the performance-tracking tool the Nike+ SportWatch and the
Jambox speaker.
Founded in
1999, CSR is one of a cluster of successful, research-focused tech companies
clustered around Cambridge and "Silicon Fen" who have recently discussed
introducing a "Made in Cambridge" badge to promote their products.
"The
audio experience you're getting from Beats headphones exists because we
developed it, put it out there and now it is used on a global scale," said
Williamson.
"People
don't recognise that that kind of innovation is developed by a small number of
very bright people here, and the pool of engineering talent and expertise here
deserves a bit more credit than the app economy drive in the periphery of
London."
No comments:
Post a Comment