Gadgets to take us into the 21st Century

WONDERING what the next ‘must have’ gadget will be? Experts believe a keyboard without any keys, a solar charger for your Gameboy, a talking smoke detector and a digital electric guitar are the next trend-setting products.

While sci-fi enthusiasts like Douglas Adams casting a jaundiced eye over the entrants might have been tempted to describe a keyboard without keys as just a board, this year’s panel of journalists, designers and engineers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas believe it is one of the most innovative items on display.

The orbiTouch Keyless Keyboard came topped the judges’ list for accessibility as a person uses their hand and arm to type, instead of their fingers. And instead of keys, it uses a pair of sculpted domes to ‘type’ characters by moving the domes.