Apple apparently won’t stop until just about every aspect of its stores is advanced in some way or another, and that extends to the tables, too.
In a new patent filing, surfaced by Apple Insider, Apple details how it gets its gesture-controlled tables to work, a new piece of furniture that the Cupertino-based company has begun rolling out to some of its retail stores across the globe.
The new tables allow for employees and customers to show hidden data and power ports with just a wave of their hand. One such table has already been located at an Apple Store in Brussels, and you can see it in action below by way of a video uploaded to YouTube:
The ports are hidden more often than not, giving the table a much cleaner look as customers gaze at the devices displayed on top of them. However, if the power or data port is needed, a simple gesture on the table’s surface will then see the ports rotate into view. Utilizing the gesture again will make the ports disappear back into the table.
According to the filing, the proposed invention is called, fittingly, a “Table With Electrical Ports.” It details how a variety of signals can be used to reach the same desired effect: a hand gesture, RFID signal, weight threshold, proximity signal and fingerprint match. In Brussels, it would appear that it’s the hand gesture to showcase those ports.
The patent application also details the inner workings, including a motor that’s coupled to an assembly that’s used to rotate the port housing. Of course, while Apple is already using this within some of their own stores, the company also sees it as a functional use case in kiosks, temporary workstations and desks.
What do you think of the idea? Would this be useful on your own desk?
[via Apple Insider]
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