VIRTUAL LASER KEYBOARD

ABSTRACT

Most of us with personal computers use a keyboard to compose e-mails, type out word
processing documents, visit Web sites and perform searches. On a typical cell phone with
a three-by-four numeric keypad, we often have to punch through each key several times to
get one word on the screen. Miniature keyboards on smart phones and PDA’s, however,
attempt to solve that problem by giving users a complete QWERTY setup, but People with
bigger fingers may find it too small to type. To make up for this, some manufactures
have developed special virtual laser keyboards to accompany handheld devices. Instead
of having to poke lightly around your phone's keyboard, a virtual laser keyboard connects
to the phone and projects a full-sized virtual keyboard onto any flat surface.
 CONTENTS

TOPIC PAGE NO.

1. Introduction 4

2. Mechanics of Virtual Laser Keyboards 5

3. Modules of Virtual Keyboards 7

4. The Technologies used 8

5. Working 9

6. Product Specification 11

7. Advantages 12

8. Drawbacks 12

9. Applications 13

10. Conclusion

Bibliography

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1. INTRODUCTION
A keyboard is one of the most commonly used input device used to enter data into
the computer. It has characters engraved or printed on the keys and each press of a key
typically corresponds to a single written symbol. In normal usage, the keyboard is used to
type text and numbers into a word processor, text editor or other program. A keyboard is
also used to give commands to the operating system of a computer, such as Windows'
Control-Alt-Delete combination, which brings up a task window or shuts down the
machine.
The keyboards nowadays are available in different types such as the standard
ones which have 104 keys, laptop-size in which keyboards usually have a shorter travel
distance for the keystroke and a reduced set of keys. Then there are the multimedia
keyboards with extra keys for accessing music, web and other frequently used programs.
Numeric keyboards contain only numbers, mathematical symbols for addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division, a decimal point, and several function keys.
There are other non-standard keyboards too. For example, Touch screens, such as with
the iPhone, can be used as a keyboard. And then we have the Virtual Laser Keyboard.

A Virtual Laser Keyboard is a projection keyboard that is projected and touched

on any surface. It uses state of the art infrared & laser technology to project a full-size
keyboard onto any flat surface. For the first time mobile device users can actually type
normally on a virtual keyboard, enabling them to work quickly and effectively making
things much easier.

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2. Mechanics of Virtual Laser Keyboards

At their most basic, all keyboards, whether they're physical or virtual, are input devices --
once you type in a certain series of keystrokes, you're telling the keyboard to deliver a
command to your computer. This allows you to write in a word-processing document,
close out a program or write out a Web site's URL in a browser.

A traditional keyboard, one that hooks up to a desktop computer or is part of a laptop, is

very much like another smaller computer. If you take it apart, it has a processor and
circuitry similar to the insides of your computer. Underneath each key is a grid of
circuits, and once you press a key, the switch closes. This sends a small electrical current
through the grid, which the processor recognizes and analyzes. The processor, in turn,
sends the information regarding your keystrokes to your computer, and it can do this
several ways. Most desktop users connect their keyboard using cables, although common
wireless technologies like Bluetooth let you type from a distance, as long as the computer
has the necessary receiver. Laptop keyboards, on the other hand, connect directly to the
computer's hardware.

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When you type on a virtual laser keyboard, there aren't any switches involved. In fact,
there aren't any mechanical moving parts at all. The device projects the image of a
QWERTY keyboard onto a flat, non-reflective surface using a red diode laser. It is just
another example of today’s computer trend of ‘smaller and faster’. It uses sensor
technology and artificial intelligence to let users work on any surface as if it were a
keyboard. The device detects movement when fingers are pressed down. Those
movements are measured and the device accurately determines the intended keystrokes
and translates them into text. This tries to sense the motion of the fingers and translate
them into keystrokes. The translation process also uses artificial intelligence. Once the
keystroke has been decoded, it is sent to the portable device either by cable or via
wireless

The main features are:

• Platform-independent multilingual support for keyboard text input.

• Built-in language layouts and settings, copy/paste etc.

• Operations support just as in a regular text editor, already existing system

language settings remain intact.

• Easy and user-friendly interface and design, and small file size.

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3. Modules of Virtual Keyboard
1. Sensor Module: The Sensor Module operates by locating the user's fingers in 3-D
space and tracking intended keystrokes. Information is processed and sent to the
host device.

2. Illumination Module: The Infrared Light Source emits a beam of infrared light.
It illuminates user’s fingers. It recognizes the hand movements and passes
information to the sensor module which decodes the information.

3. Projection Module: The Projector or optional printed image presents the image
of the keyboard or mouse zone of the system. The projected image is of a
standard QWERTY layout.

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4. THE TECHNOLOGY USED:
The sensing modules are miniature, custom designed infra-red sensing units and
ground breaking algorithms that map user interactions in a two dimensional plane
and can convert any inert surface into an interactive touch sensitive area/screen.
Modules are available in a variety of resolutions and configurations from simple,
low resolution key/button event applications to high resolution, high speed
graphical input of handwriting recognition.

The projectors are based on sophisticated Laser Diode based diffractive optical
elements and high efficiency LED based projection engines, both tailored to
generate large images at short throw lengths and strongly oblique angles. These
images, whether static or dynamic, serve as an output reference for the virtual
interface.
These technologies allow us to enable Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) to a
wide range of applications in markets as board ranging as Consumer Electronics,
Medical/Healthcare, and Industrial Automation, Automotive, general Touch
Screen applications and Electro-Domestics.

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 5. WORKING:

The Virtual Laser Keyboard includes a self-contained, rechargeable lithium ion battery. It
provides the Virtual Laser Keyboard with its own internal power supply, so it doesn't
drain any battery power from the PDA or PC. The battery lasts two to three hours, more
than enough time to do some instant messaging and SMS messaging from the handheld
device or to update calendar and phone book entries.

Step 1: Template creation (Projection Module)

A template of the desired interface is projected onto the adjacent interface surface. The
template is produced by illuminating a specially designed, highly efficient holographic
optical element with a red diode laser. Note: the template serves only as a reference for
the user and is not involved in the detection process. In a fixed environment, the template
can just as easily be printed onto the interface surface.

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Step 2: Reference plane illumination (Micro-illumination ModuleTM)

An infra-red plane of light is generated just above, and parallel to, the interface surface.
This light is invisible to the user and hovers a few millimeters above the surface. When
the user touches a key position on the interface surface light is reflected from this plane
in the vicinity of the key and directed towards the sensor module.

Step 3: Map reflection coordinates (Sensor Module)

Reflected light from user interactions with the interface surface is passed through an
infra-red filter and imaged on to a CMOS image sensor in the sensor module. Custom
hardware embedded in the sensor chip (the Virtual Interface Processing CoreTM) then
makes a real-time determination of the location of the reflected light. The processing core
can track multiple reflection events simultaneously and can thus support both multiple
keystrokes and overlapping cursor control inputs.

Step 4: Interpretation and communication (Sensor Module)

The micro-controller in the sensor module receives the positional information

corresponding to the light flashes from the sensor processing core, interprets the events
(e.g. keydown, keyup, mouse or touchpad control etc..) and communicates them through
an appropriate interface to external devices.

The following are the driver/platform which support virtual laser keyboard

*Blackberry
*PalmOS 5
*Pocket PC 2003 Family (using Microsoft, Widcom/Broadcom and Extended Systems
Bluetooth Stacks)
*Smartphone 2003 (using Microsoft Bluetooth Stacks)
*Symbian OS 6.x - 8.x Series 60 User Interface
*Symbian OS 6.x - 8.x UIQ 2.x User Interface
*Windows Mobile 5
*Windows 2000/XP

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6. Product Specifications

Keyboard Projection
Light source Red diode laser
Keyboard layout 63 key / full sized QWERTY layout
Keyboard size 295 x 95mm projected keyboard size
Keyboard position 60mm from VKB unit
Required Projection surface Non-reflective, opaque flat surface
Visibility Good contrast up to 600 lux ambient illumination

Keyboard Sensor
Works under all standard indoor illuminations up to 600
Ambient illumination
lux
Detection Rate Up to 400 characters per minute
Detection algorithm Multiple keystroke support
Effective keystroke Approximately 2mm
Operating surface Non-reflective, opaque flat surface
Any firm flat surface with no protrusions greater than
Visibility
1mm

Bluetooth
Bluetooth Spec Bluetooth v1.1 class 2
Bluetooth Profile Supported HID and SPP
Range of Frequency 2.4 GHz Spectrum
Transmission range 9m
Number of supported passkeys 5

Electrical
Power Source Integrade, 3.6V rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery Capacity >120 minutes continuous typing
Charge Method Included 100-240V AC Wall Adapter

Dimensions
Approximately 35 x 92 x 25mm (1.38" x 3.6" x 1")

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7. ADVANTAGES:

• It takes up less desk space than a conventional keyboard.

• When connected to your handheld computer it is more convenient to carry

around than your laptop.

• You could use it with your desktop, laptop or handheld computer.

• It can be projected on any surface or you can type in the plain air.

• It can be useful in places like operation theatres where low noise is essential.

• The typing does not require a lot of force. So it eases the strain on wrists and
hands.

• No driver software necessary, it can be used as a plug and play device.

8. DRAWBACKS

• Virtual keyboard is hard to get used to. Since it involves typing in thin air,
it requires a little practice. Only people who are good at typing can use a virtual
keyboard efficiently.
• It is very costly ranging from 150 to 200 dollars.
• The room in which the projected keyboard is used should not be very
bright so that the keyboard is properly visible.

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9. APPLICATIONS:

1. Sterile and medical environments and clean rooms

In medical environments it is vital to keep the environment completely sterile.

This is almost impossible to achieve with standard keyboards and interfaces collect dirt
and germs and cannot be easily sterilized.. The surface of the keyboard can be configured
to any layout, be it a generic keyboard layout or an application specific layout for a
nurses station or a patient bedside entertainment system
For Clean rooms, traditional keyboards release particles every key- stroke,
requiring the air to be cleaned, virtual keyboard has no moving parts and therefore
completely by-passes this problem. Beyond it is easy to see how medical devices can
benefit from virtual interface technologies. This is particularly critical in areas of the
Hospital were equipment is exposed to various fluids.

2. Cellular telephones: to type messages, to send emails.

3. Tablet PCs and laptops

4. Industrial environments: provides a simple and effective solution for data input to
industrial environments where cleanliness or conversely dirt and grease are issues - the
key and mouse area are also completely configurable by software allowing the creation
of control panels and control boards with any layout on the same core board – the
ultimate in customization

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10. CONCLUSION

Virtual Keyboard uses sensor technology and artificial intelligence to let users work on
any surface as if it were a keyboard. Projection key boards or virtual key boards claim to
provide the convenience of compactness with the advantages of a full-blown QWERTY
keyboard. The company's Virtual Keyboard is designed for anyone who's become
frustrated with trying to put information into a handheld but doesn't want to carry a
notebook computer around.
Thus virtual keyboards will make typing easier, faster, and almost a pleasure

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Computer data storage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org

2. www.lumio.com

3. www.thinkqueek.com

4. www.howstuffwork.com

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