Mobile phones have become the device of choice for many tech-savvy professionals. However, no matter how convenient mobile phones are, they still aren’t able to replace laptops and computers when it comes to more comprehensive and complex work requirements.
This could be because phones and tablets with touchscreen keypads still present a challenge to workers who are used to typing on a traditional QWERTY keyboard. This is also why Bluetooth and mobile keyboards have become a must-have accessory over the years. The problem with this though is that bringing a mobile keyboard with you almost defeats the purpose of the mobile benefits of working on a phone or tablet.
Samsung understands how important keyboards and mobility are for users and shared an exciting app concept that addresses this issue: the SelfieType app technology.
A Virtual Keyboard
SelfieType is created through the Korean company’s C-Lab startup incubator and is one of several upgrade studies the company is researching. Other projects include an ASMR recorder and even a scalp scanner.
SelfieType itself is a virtual keyboard that utilizes artificial intelligence to translate finger movements into keyboard output. This means that once released you can use the app to create a virtual keyboard anytime and anywhere.
To use it, you just need to open the app, face the front-facing selfie camera towards you, and then begin typing on any surface. The proprietary AI of the app will analyze your finger and joint movies and produce the corresponding keyboard output. This differs from traditional keyboards because the AI analyzes finger movements instead of where you press your finger as regular keyboards do.
Once it’s perfected and ready for release, you can enjoy the ease of a using keyboard without the hassle of having to lug one along.
The Challenges of SelfieType
While the idea is innovative and would change the face of mobile keyboard usage, don’t go selling your laptops online or trading in your old Samsung phones and tablets yet. This type of technology is still in the research project stage and it is not without challenges.
First of all, people type differently and the lab will need to study if the app will work for non-traditional typists. Researchers are currently confident that they can make the app recognize a wide variety of typing styles but this would depend on how big and how versatile their pool of typists for study is.
Another potential issue is the smoothness and reliability to work at speed. There are many people out there who can type out several words a minute and the AI will need to be able to keep up smoothly for it to be efficient. If it stalls or can’t respond in real-time, it wouldn’t be able to serve its purpose.
These are just some of the issues that Samsung and C-Lab need to address before releasing the app, but once they’ve ironed everything out, SelfieType will change the way we use phones and tablets.