leap

Haptix Touch has just announced a new input device that turns any surface into a 3D multitouch interface. The device, called the Haptix, closely resembles the Leap Motion gesture controller in terms of appearance and underlying technology. Whereas Leap is placed on a surface and points up, though, Haptix points downwards at whatever surface your hands are currently resting on. This means that you can comfortably use Haptix for extended periods — and it should also mean that input is a lot less finicky than the Leap, which has been broadly panned since its public release last month.

Physical legal tender has both benefits and drawbacks. One of the major benefits is that you can use it at establishments that don’t accept credit or debit, which are surprisingly frequent if you live in a big city. Some major drawbacks are that it’s more difficult to trace and much easier to steal than electronic funds. Those two drawbacks are on the verge of being remedied, though, as a team of American scientists has created paper equipped with RFID tags, making any paper money easily traceable.