The Synaptics Fuse literally brings a new dimension to mobile gaming. Whereas most apps and games on touchscreen phones are controlled using the screen and in some cases accelerometers, the Synaptics Fuse has got touch sensitive grips built into its sides. This means that you can control applications and games by gripping and squeezing the Fuse as well as tapping the screen.
According to Pocket-Lint, who got to play with one at CES, it’s only a prototype. As you can see from the video, squeezing the Fuse causes a multitude of balls to tumble out of some sort of gateway. You can then tilt the Fuse to send balls flying around the screen as well as change the balls’ colours and texture by stroking the left and right sensors respectively.
It’s a pretty simple application but it demonstrates how the Fuse could change how we use mobile games and apps. We think that a lightsabre app would work particularly well on a Fuse-esque device. Squeezing to turn the sabre on would mean you’d have to have a firm grip on the device, meaning there’s less chance of you throwing it out of the window as you wave it around.
Synaptics says it’s intending to follow this up with an appearance at Mobile World Congress in February with some more practical apps running. We’ll update you with more info then.
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