Lenovo’s big Tech World conference has given us a look at many of the innovative gadgets that the company is working on, but the most interesting of these gadgets may have been an ordinary smartphone. Well… not really ordinary, as it has a built-in laser projector that enables users to create a virtual box on any surface which can be used as either a keyboard or a touchscreen. It also functions as a regular projector, allowing users to view pictures or watch videos on a larger screen.
Lenovo is showcasing its innovation credentials by unveiling the world’s first smartphone with a built-in laser projector that allows users to create a virtual touchscreen or keyboard on any surface. While there have been a few smartphones on the market with built-in projectors – notably the Samsung Galaxy Beam – these have focused on replicating the features of a standalone projector and allow users to watch video content on a much larger screen. While Lenovo’s Smart Cast smartphone does allow this, more interestingly it can be adapted to project a touchscreen on to a desk to allow users to use a virtual keyboard. In a video demonstrating the technology (below), Lenovo shows the Smart Cast smartphone using a kickstand to stand the phone up independently before flipping the lens to project on to the desk. Examples of what this technology could be used for include a virtual keyboard to speed up typing, a virtual piano or for playing games such as Fruit Ninja. Lenovo unveiled the innovative smartphone at its Tech World conference in China, which saw appearances from the likes of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich as well as Lenovo’s own CEO Yang Yuanqing, who was greeted like a film star at the Beijing show.
