The User Interface Software and Technology Symposium is taking place this week. Amongst the tech introduced, is Microsoft's "SideSight":
SideSight removes "touch" from the device and makes it a function of the paper, tabletop, or even the air that's next to the device. What does this mean? According to Microsoft, it opens up the possibility for "touch" functions to be built into tiny devices that don't actually need a touchscreen.
While there seems to be some limitations to the tech, this could be an interesting alternative to the traditional touch screen. The idea of interacting with off-screen space opens up some interesting possibilities that isn't possible with traditional interfaces where you must see your selection/manipulation tool.
[via Gearlog]