Synaptics Wants to Make Your Keyboard Space Bar Smarter

Your keyboard space bar might soon get a whole lot smarter, if Synaptics has its way.

The touchpad technology maker on Wednesday unveiled what it calls the SmartBar, a new technology that adds touch gestures to your keyboard space bar.

"SmartBar offers a variety of innovative and programmable functionality to the underutilized spacebar," Synaptics said in a statement. "As the natural resting spot for the thumbs, users can now use SmartBar touch gestures for rapid editing of text, simplified zoom, or any number of customizable functions enabled by the provided macro editor."

For instance, a single swipe of your thumb on the space bar will let you select an entire word for quicker editing. Or, by pinching or expanding with two thumbs, you can zoom in or out on a document or image. The SmartBar can also be programmed with up to five logical buttons, providing easy access to critical game controls or common desktop functions.

The SmartBar technology is now available to manufacturers, and at least one early adopter — gaming accessory maker Tt eSPORTS — is already on board with the idea. Kenny Lin, chairman and CEO of Tt eSPORTS parent company Thermaltake, said his company is "enabling keyboard spacebars with this powerful solution," but did not offer up any other details.

Besides the gaming community, the technology may also be attractive to businesses looking to ramp up worker productivity, according Tom Mainelli, vice president of devices and displays at research firm IDC.

"Desktop PCs still represent a sizeable portion of the PC market, especially in the commercial segment, but most desktop users have been left behind in terms of next-generation interfaces such as touch," he said. "Companies are always looking for ways to help drive employee efficiency, and feature-rich, touch-enabled keyboards represent a straightforward, affordable way to help increase worker productivity."

The announcement comes after Apple was granted a patent for what it calls a "fusion keyboard"—a hybrid accessory with physical keys and touch-based input. Cupertino's invention would basically turn individual keys into trackpad-covered buttons. The patent also suggests certain dual-purpose keys could be depressed to multiple levels to complete different tasks.