Let's face the truth, most technology these days focuses on enhancing our ability to converse without having to physically be near any one another in any way, shape, or form. So it's a bit refreshing to see ALPS try to bring back the personal with its Electric Field Communication model, which essentially takes the TransferJet idea one step further by using the human body as a transference medium between two devices.

ALPS, who already mainstreamed the touchpad way back in the day, continued with their great innovations. Their latest hit premiered at Tokyos Gadget Fair Ceatec this year and allows the human body to act as a communication medium through electric field transmissions.


Those electric field transmissions use the human body to send data by modulating the electric field to create signals that are sent and received through it. Communications are enacted just by touching or bringing the hand over a sensor, which makes it suitable for applications such as ID cards or keyless automobile access.

You can network various devices like cellphone, camera, watch, tonometer and pedometer just by touching them. In the example we saw on the CEATEC floor, one person held a mockup cellphone displaying one of three images. The user held the phone in one hand, picked one of those images, and then placed his or her other hand against a computer panel, whereby that image was displayed on an overhead machine.

The use we're really excited for, and one that was proposed in video form only, was two people having devices pocketed and sharing data between the two via hand touching, E.T. style. Unfortunately there isn't any direct product that's reaching consumers with the technology yet but the innovation is still just in progress so let's just be excited for the moment.

The actual "Electric-field Communication" module is really small. It can be powered by a button battery only. In future, it could be used for advertisement where people can touch posters or signboards and get information on their cellphone. According to the booth person, small data transmissions like exchanging numbers and address is already practicable.

Basically, what can be communicated by infrared between cellphones you can communicate by shaking hands. Asked about Internet access, the ALPS person told that high-capacity data transmission can be done using multiple people in theory, but they have to be holding hands all the while so it sounds a bit too impractical. Data can be transmitted by anyone regardless of age and sex, staticky or not. (Engadget)