You rarely see Microsoft Surface device Promoted without it Surface pen.. This is an important feature that the Surface team regularly discusses and is one of the ripe areas for innovation. The latest details show that work continues to make more intelligent pens.
Details of Microsoft Surface Pro X tablet, keyboard and Surface Slim stylus taken on January 7th … [+]
Details come from a patent titled “”Zero Force Activation StylusIt details a system that improves the ability of the Surface Pen to know when to switch to ink mode. Mayank Palmer Report:
“… According to Microsoft, the stylus still uses a vibrating tip to determine when surface contact occurs. The patented Surface pen minimizes shaft movement. Comes with a capsule designed to run, the shaft runs parallel to the length of the stylus.
“There are two antennas at the tip, one connected to the shaft using a track made of metal material. There is also a transmitter at the tip, which detects the position of the tip of the stylus and quickly You can switch to ink mode. “
Microsoft’s Surface vision has always been built around different working modes. Consider the Surface Pro 2-in-1 with a removable keyboard that enables a tablet experience with or without QWERTY input. Think about the great features of a laptop Surface Book with a fully removable screen. Even Surface Laptops with no physical conversion can move between pen input and trackpad movement. Surface has multiple modes that you can switch between quickly and easily.
This includes the Surface pen. There are two modes of use. The first is a traditional stylus-based approach to computing that replicates the idea of a working mouse or trackpad. The second mode is an ink mode that allows you to inherit your artistic talent.
Better understanding when the Surface pen switches modes, reducing mode switching delays, and allowing you to create a “magical” experience that mixes stylus and ink modes is a natural next step for Microsoft to tackle. It is a step of.
As always, published patents point the way companies are taking in hardware development, but they do not guarantee that this technology will be found on consumer devices. However, some patents are more likely to appear than others. This feels like something we’ll see in the near future.