A patent has been awarded for a hover sensitive device that accepts input from finger movements above the device’s display.

The patent, by Apple, describes the usage of “real world” gestures to control the device equipped with a touch or hover-sensitive interface.

The finger and hand movements, such as a circle to select or an X to delete, could identify users and restrict access to protected files, information and applications. This could be hugely beneficial in industries including security or banking.

Further simple movements include a knock to inquire and more.

Filed in 2007, the patent requires a computer system with a touch sensor panel that has hover detecting capability and a proximity sensor.

As for what computing system it is, the patent details do not explain.

A similar copyright, for hover-enabled surface on a portable device such as an iPhone, was filed in early 2007 too.

Patents like this could quite easily influence, affect and expand the future of touch screen technology, and therefore has a direct impact on the consumer and business’ services; altering the consumer’s experience and the usage of a kiosk.

Here at Protouch we care about the future of Touch screen. Who knows what is to come, but you can be sure we will be one step-ahead, as Europe’s number one manufacturer and distributor of touch screen technology.

According to a report by Gartner, who deliver global technology research, touch-enabled devices will increasingly become more popular and commonplace in industry sectors in the future.

We saw ZDNet Asia blog featuring these report results and had to include them in a post, because as Europe’s number one manufacturer and distributor of touch screen equipment, we care about the future of such devices.

Amongst a growing market for applications that cater to both consumers and users, touchscreens are emerging as the dominant user interface for large screen handsets and are said to be included in over 60 per cent of mobile devices shipped in Western Europe and North America in 2011.

Gartner’s report, which was published in March and April, reveals that touch-enabled devices will also make increasing use of techniques such as haptics to enhance user experience.

Figures revealed that by 2015 more than half of the PCs purchased for users aged below 15 would be touchscreen-enabled.

Craig Skinner, Senior consultant at Ovum, said in a phone interview with ZDNet Asia, that there will be more demand for portable touchscreen devices as opposed to “fixed” devices such as desktop PCs, particularly in the office.

It also states that worldwide sales of touchscreen mobile devices will exceed 362.7 million units in 2010, with sales growing by 97 per cent. These devices would account for 58 per cent of all global mobile device sales by 2013.

Back in September of this year, we reported that TAT – The Astonishing Tribe – came up with a video to where they thought touch screen technology would be in years to come. The video was to show case their research and user feedback at the Open Innovation Experiment.

The video showed the adoption of multi-screens, mirror screens, expandable screens, e-ink screens and transparent screens.

So it seems the future of touch screen technology is definitely looking bright! So get your business involved with a touch screen kiosk from Protouch today.