Is Art Lebedev Working For Apple?




Since I first read about the new concept of Tactus keyboard by Art Lebedev, I was intrigued how similar the idea is to the one described in Apple’s Multi-Touch keyboard patents.

The basic idea is the same - a full touch surface peripheral, that can be programmed to perform various input tasks. About the only (maybe) new thing that Tactus adds to Apple’s idea is the possibility to display grainy images.

And today another Apple patent application, called “Dynamically controlled keyboard“, became public. It describes practically the same device as already in production Art Lebedev’s “Optimus Maximus” keyboard:
The basic idea is exactly the same - a dynamically programmable keyboard, where:

* each key is actually an independent display
* this display (key face) consists of an array of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs)
* uses an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) inside each key to turn on or off specific diodes, thus providing required symbols and images

Looks like a really interesting coincidences.

* A patent by Apple surfaces and then Art Lebedev’s design concept describing almost the same thing is produced.
* Art Lebedev’s “Optimus Maximus” keyboard is almost ready to ship, and here’s an Apple’s patent describing the same thing.
* This patent was first filed on June 15th, 2006, about a year after Optimus concept first appeared , but about the same time Optimus started turning into a real product.

Can Art Lebedev be working for/with Apple and testing out some far out design ideas, later to be incorporated into Apple’s products? ;)

Or is it just a simple case of “two great design minds are thinking the same”?



Posted On 13 October, 2008 @ 2:05 pm

Similar News


Comments

No comments yet.


Leave a comment

(required)

(required)