Technology is advancing at a faster rate every day. Only about a decade ago, devices like the hoverboard or drones were something out of the movies. Tech that appeared in Back to the Future Part II has now been created, and just in time to keep up with the movie. We have a “hoverboard,” self-tying shoes, the Apple Watch, and Google Glass, all of which is very similar to technology shown in a movie about traveling to the future in a time-traveling DeLorean. Most people never would have thought we would have this technology so soon, yet this so-called ‘futuristic technology’ is now very much a reality.

Ten years ago, touchscreens were considered very high-tech, and they weren’t something everyone had immediate access to, not like we do today with smartphones. However, even they aren’t such a big deal anymore. We have devices that can project an interactive keyboard onto any surface, like this R2D2 model virtual keyboard. And technology is advancing exponentially, with new devices’ features coming out left and right. This year, Lenovo introduced a phone that can project an interactive touchscreen onto any surface. The Lenovo Smart Cast boasts the world’s smallest laser projection module, and has wall and surface settings. With this interactive laser projection, the possibilities include a computer keyboard, a piano that you can play in real time, with seemingly no lag, and potentially any other program that your phone holds. Soon, you may be playing games or surfing the web on the surface of your desk.

No doubt, this technology will not be easily affordable right away, which might result in this projector phone taking a little longer to catch up. It may also have its downsides. For all we know, this feature may drain your phone’s battery like nobody’s business, and that’s something users already struggle with. However, Lenovo is not the only company thinking about this feature, and it will surely be improved upon over time. Apple had mentioned that the iPhone 6 may come with this projector keyboard, but when the phone came out, that wasn’t the case. At the very least, this hints that the feature may come out in one of their newer phones, and once this technology starts to become more common, it could change the evolution of the cell phone entirely. Right now, with all the different things you can do on your smartphone, the touchscreens are getting bigger.

The more screen space you have, the easier it is to use the touchscreen, and the better it looks when watching shows or playing games on your phone. However, once more phones start including a laser projection screen - and an interactive one at that - the need for a larger screen may disappear. You will then be able to just project your view of your smartphone screen onto the wall in front of you, and if you’re having trouble navigating the small screen, you can just project a bigger view onto your desk. Phones will stop growing to ridiculous sizes, and they can be comfortably small again.

Even after this feature becomes more common among smartphone users, it won’t entirely cut out the need for an easy-to-use screen. People still use their phones on the go, and likely won’t be able to project their phone screen anywhere they are. With the release of the laser projector phone, however, it may greatly reduce the breaking of phones. Right now, people’s phones are constantly in their hands, being dropped on the ground, or in toilets. With the Lenovo Smart Cast, your phone can be safely resting on a surface, untouched while you use it. Because of this, even if phones become more expensive with this new feature, they will likely need to be replaced or fixed less often. It’s not uncommon these days for you to drop and break a practically brand new phone. This risk factor may drop significantly with the use of laser projection phones. Even if your screen is broken, you can still use the laser projector, and the broken screen won’t matter, whereas before, a cracked screen would greatly reduce your phone’s utility.

Author: Dia Ascenzi

