U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

It seems Apple has some big things in mind for virtual reality, or just reality.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted the company maker a patent today for a way to connect humans to computers using sensors, touch screens, and virtual reality gloves.

Patently Apple noticed it first today, calling it a "single, wild, and crazy patent," with "the widest range of applications I've ever seen."

The patent outlines advanced 5D technology, interactive gaming (think Kinect or Wii), video conferencing, and the ability to recognize a particular signature, say someone's palm, for starting a car or sending signals to another kind of device.

Apple thinks the technology may replace keyboards, according to the patent application. Additionally, the screen material could be made out of anything, which led Apple to dream up the suggestion of a front screen made of Kevlar. The user can shoot bullets at the screen and the computer would calculate where bullets land and at what force -- something that can be used by shooting ranges.

The technology doesn't just apply to screens. It can be used in situations where there isn't physical touching but a user can change the resistance to something, i.e. thermal, air, or electromagnetic. This sounds like you will be to control things by moving your hands around in the air.

See the full patent application below.