AppleInsider has dug up a massive patent filing by Apple with regards to next-generation Multi-Touch input devices they are working on. Very detailed, the patent outlines different gestures, finger combinations, and even the use of styluses in conjunction with such devices.

One outline for the device itself would seem to be an ergonomic, bent screen that would be comfortable under extended use. From the looks of it rather than using a single or two fingers on a small screen like the iPhone, it would be a slightly larger than a keyboard sized screen that you would use both hands on.

One sentence in particular from AppleInsider’s piece excites me:

Furthermore, it would be capable of reliably extracting tilt and roll degrees of freedom from hand pressure differences to aid in navigation and manipulation of three-dimensional environments.

That very much reminds me of Tom Cruise in Minority Report manipulating data with his hands on a three dimensional screen.

Something about a simple flat keyboard and mouse has always seemed weird to me as a main method of input – as I’m sure it has to a lot of people. It’s simply not a natural fit for a human body with full range of motion.

We’ve been using the same basic inputs for 20+ years now, but I can’t imagine that 20 years from now anything will be the same.