Samsung recently filed a patent application for a smartwatch that can project a display onto users’ hand, a wall, or any nearby surface.

The company’s filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office describes a wearable device that comes with a feature that can identify your hand’s shape. The smart timepiece also makes use of a mini projector to beam its UI on a surface to show bigger controls and more information.

What can users do with the projected image?

They can, for instance, enter phone numbers by tapping on a virtual dial pad displayed on a surface. But that’s not all.  The smartwatch is also equipped with a nifty feature that can read handwriting from where the UI is projected; users can type their text via the QWERTY keyboard beamed by a tiny projector; and the device will also provide a zoomed-in view of a map displayed on the smartwatch.

These features and more are due to the camera fitted into the device that is capable of detecting how a users’ other hand interacts with the projected virtual UI.

One roadblock will be the device’s battery life limitations, but if this concept materializes, this will make smartwatches more indispensable than they are today.

Welcome features will be using a smartwatch to stream videos, send out and receive emails and play video games. These are the things that are lacking on present versions primarily due to screen size.

Like any other patent applications, there is no assurance that this new wearable device will see the light of day, but it is encouraging to see a firm baking a smartwatch that is not only interesting, but out of the box as well.

Adapted from a posting by Dave Capilto for techtimes.com