It’s not that tablets or similar devices with a back-side touch interface are a new idea. Samsung and Apple, for example, are apparently working on ideas in this area. But as far as I am aware, there aren’t too many videos around that show devices with a working rear-touch interface. At CEATEC 2010, Japan’s No. 2 mobile carrier KDDI has been showing a prototype.
The way it works is that when you put your finger on the touch sensitive back of the device, a cursor indicating the position of your finger appears on the front screen. KDDI’s test tablet lets you not only perform clicks but also slide your finger across the back of the device (which moves the cursor on the screen accordingly).
In other words, the solution allows you to both type texts and navigate screens without covering what’s being shown on the display with your hand.
Sounds cool, but the problem is that the technology seems to need some work regarding usability, as you can see in the video below (provided by our friends over at Diginfonews):
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