Shake Your Phone - New ways to get info...

There's certainly a case to be made that electronics in general are too dependent on sight and sound in giving us information. We have other senses, guys, c'mon! Fortunately, some progress is being made in letting those forgotten senses in on the party - and one intriguing design is a system called Shoogle, which calls for users to shake their phones to get their info fix. When shaken (not stirred), the phone uses a combination of sound and haptics (the sense of touch or feel) to create sensory illusions. For example, the phone may feel as if it's full of jangling balls if there are new text messages or voicemails; or, it may slosh as if it's half-full of water if the battery is low. Check out the video - but of course it can't do complete justice to the concept, because your computer depends on (you guessed it) sight and sound only! Still, it's an intriguing design, and particularly promising as a discreet way to check your phone's status - that is, if those around you don't mind you sticking your hand in your pocket and shaking...
[via NewScientist]