The prototype "Cubimorph" can change shape on-demand.
Credit: Roudaut et al/University of Bristol
Imagine if when you launched a gaming app on your smartphone, the device could automatically morph into the shape of a console. Then, if you received a text message and needed to respond, it could transform itself back into a phone.

Researchers at the University of Bristol, in the United Kingdom, have designed a device that could one day do just that. It's called Cubimorph, and it's a small, modular device that can change into different shapes, depending on the desired function or even who is holding it. Its designers say the technology could pave the way to more adaptable handheld gadgets.

The project was recently presented at the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society's largest conference, the International Conference on Robotics and Automation, which was held May 16-21 in Stockholm, Sweden. [Super-Intelligent Machines: 7 Robotic Futures]

Man + machine

There has been growing interest in how humans and computers interact, especially with .......continue reading at http://www.preceworld.com/2016/06/shape-shifting-touch-screens-can-morph.html