Twitch Technologies Concepts

Twitch Technologies had been developing an ingenious new minimal keyboard with 10 or 12 keys, the idea being that a combination of 1 to two fingers could produce every letter of the alphabet, numbers and some punctuation, allowing the keyboard to be used in various new situations. The company needed some strong concepts of possible applications and great styling to show off the technology and gain funding and consumer acceptance. PSD created intensive contextual research to identify valid opportunities of application and created more than fifty sketches of new uses for this technology, from embedding it on a snow boarder’s pans pockets to text while using heads up goggles, to adding it to your steering wheel for data input while driving. Six final projects were developed and the Aviator was prototyped. The first image you see is the Aviator gamer, a game controller with steering wheel type grip and back side provides the 8 keys for finger typing, front for thumb and option as well as joy sticks. It is shown on its charging dock here. The second project Arches is a minimal packet which is kept folded in a small triangular leather sheath. When needed slip it out, unfold it and you can use it via Bluetooth with any device, there is even a docking station to use it directly with various phones and tablets. The shape was derived from an optimal relaxed typing position of the two hands. Dots is a glass covered simple and iconic keypad with Apple like styling that glows and illuminates around the keys pressed, as one make a specific combination the letter of choice is displayed in the center allowing for learning and spell checking while typing. It may also be sewn inside tablet cases. Remote is a new remote control for smart TVs that is a simple remote control in the closed state, but push a button and the outer panels expand to expose the Twitch keyboard and other functions allowing one to effectively type and navigate on the remote. The last shown is a piece of precious jewelry with nickel plated metal and coral like buttons. It is folded and fashionably worn on a necklace around the neck to be kept with a woman at all times. When the user needs to type she merely unclips it from the chain and opens the butterfly wings and has all of the buttons in an ergonomic array on the desk in front of her.