Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 460,592 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,086 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,086 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,210 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 460,592 cutting edge ideas.

Spherical Computer Peripherals

The Smartball Keyboard Resembles a Soft and Malleable Balloon

— December 23, 2011 — Art & Design
Touted as a next-generation computer keyboard design, the Smartball keyboard revolutionizes the way people think about this particular computer peripheral. More than that, it integrates the game controller, remote control and mouse into one, making it akin to the One Ring that ruled them all from the Lord of the Rings franchise.

Designed by Laura Lahti, the Smartball keyboard is a soft, malleable balloon made of e-textile smart fabric that allows it to reposition its home base depending on where the user places his or her fingers. It also uses visual information to interact with the user, creating a more intuitive experience. One of the Smartball keyboard's most interesting features is it ability to feel like a rose petal, silk or whatever else it was programmed to feel like.
Trend Themes
1. Integrated Computer Peripherals - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop computer peripherals that combine multiple functions, such as keyboard, game controller, remote control, and mouse, into one compact and versatile device.
2. E-textile Smart Fabric - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the use of e-textile smart fabric in designing soft and malleable computer peripherals that offer a more interactive and intuitive user experience.
3. Sensory Feedback Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporate sensory feedback technology into computer peripherals, enabling them to simulate different textures and provide a more immersive user interface.
Industry Implications
1. Computer Hardware Manufacturing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Embrace the integration of various computer peripherals into a single device, streamlining the manufacturing process and offering customers a more convenient and consolidated user experience.
2. Textile Industry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with technology companies to develop e-textile smart fabrics that can be used in the creation of flexible and interactive computer peripherals.
3. Virtual Reality (VR) Industry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Apply sensory feedback technology to VR peripherals, allowing users to not only see and hear virtual environments but also touch and feel them for a more immersive VR experience.
2.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness