Skip to main content

Samsung may put an augmented reality keyboard on your fingers

samsung ar keyboard fingers
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Next time someone sends you a text message, think about what it would be like to respond with an augmented reality keyboard on your fingers. If this sounds like a good idea to you, then you’ll be happy to know that Samsung might be working on that for its rumored Google Glass competitor, dubbed as Galaxy Glass.

The patent, which is now public, was filed last August at the World Intellectual Property Organization and South Korea’s Korean Intellectual Property Office.

According to the patent, Samsung believes that voice control enabled for smart glasses allows for limited functionality, since loud environments won’t allow words to be heard clearly and soft environments don’t allow for any amount of privacy. In addition, any projector-based keyboards carry several drawbacks, one of them being the high cost of such a system.

As seen in the pictures, Samsung’s solution is an augmented reality keyboard. Keys would be mapped onto the fingers of your hand “according to predetermined criteria,” which presumably includes what orientation your hand is in. You would then be able to “type” out letters by using your thumb to press on different areas of your fingers.

One of the outputs resembles a version of T9, which you might remember as the painful way you had to type texts during the days of flip phones.

We’re not sure this will make it to whatever finished product Samsung has in mind, the company clearly has alternative gesture inputs in mind.

Samsung AR keyboard 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Editors' Recommendations

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
How to change the keyboard on a Samsung phone
Google Play Store on the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G.

Whether you've bought a new Samsung device or have one you've been using for years, changing the keyboard to suit your needs can make your experience more convenient. If you're wondering how to do that, you've come to the right place. A new keyboard can help to refresh an older device, or add new features you never knew you needed.

Read more
Samsung saved your phone from a nasty security problem
Galaxy S22 Ultra and S21 Ultra camera modules.

Mobile security company Kryptowire published a blog post detailing a security breach it identified in Android 9, 10, 11, and 12 on Samsung smartphones earlier this year. The issue it found had serious consequences should a device be affected, and the company contacted Samsung. To its credit, Samsung reacted quickly to the problem and pushed its February 2022 security update out to remedy the issue.

Kryptowire's post detailing the problem is highly technical, but it serves as a good reminder of how important continued security updates are on Android devices. While most Samsung device owners have likely already protected themselves by downloading the security update, those without auto-updates turned on should make sure to bring their device up to date as soon as possible. On your Samsung phone, go to Settings>Software Update, and select Download and Install to check for any outstanding software updates. Then go back and turn Auto Download over Wi-Fi on.

Read more
Keep your new Samsung Galaxy S22 safe with this durable UAG case
UAG blackstory collection mobile phone cases.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 range is finally out and we're pretty psyched about it. Our Samsung Galaxy S22 buying guide will help you figure out what phone is best for you. Once you've figured things out, it's time for you to get yourself a case to keep your newly acquired phone safe. Even the standard Galaxy S22 isn't the cheapest phone around, though (with the retail price starting at $800), and the last thing you want is to score a new flagship device only to have it suffer damage because you skimped on buying some good protection for it.

If you're shelling out the cash for a flagship phone like the Samsung Galaxy S22, then it's a good idea to spend a little more on a good case and screen protector for it, and right now, Urban Armor Gear is offering a very nice bundle deal: Buy any Samsung Galaxy S22 case and get a glass screen protector for 50% off.

Read more