Japan
Hardware
- Sony Corp. is preparing to bring to the consumer market a new type of touch panel that creates tactile sensations. These sensations range from that of clicking a button to that of writing on a pad of paper with a pencil. Sony will position this pseudo-tactile panel as a next-generation input device that can replace a keyboard or a touch panel. The company plans to use the panel for PDAs personal digital assistants and digital appliances, releasing the first consumer products sporting the new panel as early as year-end. The panel creates tactile sensations by exploiting the piezo effect, applying voltage to make a quartz material vibrate....
