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Fingernail Scratching Could Be Newest Way to Answer Your Phone

by Caleb Johnson on August 13, 2009 at 11:17 AM


A new device, developed by a team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute, might wind up scratching an itch that cell phone users didn't even know they had. Or, at the least, it'll have them scratching a lot more often.

The 'Scratch Input' uses the sound produced by scratching your fingernail across a surface -- wood, fabric, what have you -- to answer your phone, silence it, or adjust the volume. According to Wired, the research team attached a modified stethoscope to a microphone in order to isolate the sound of a scratching fingernail, which produces a frequency between 6000 Hz and 13,000 Hz. The microphone converts the noise into an electrical signal, which is then amplified and transferred to a computer using an audio input jack. Researcher Chris Harrison told Wired this sensor could be mass produced for less than a dollar, potentially spurring a significant change in the way folks interact with everyday devices -- from cell phones to MP3 players.

Just imagine. When your phone rings in class, you could silence that Young Jeezy ringtone much more quickly and easily, maybe even without your professor knowing it was your phone -- just by scratching your finger across your jeans. [From: Wired]

Tags: carnegie mellon, CarnegieMellon, cellphone, computer, input, research, scratch input, ScratchInput, sound, top

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