NEC reveals LatticeKey Interface for text recognition

The Google translation results in some rather broken English, but if I’m reading this right, NEC has developed something that they call the LatticeKey Interface for cell phones. Instead of a standard numerical keypad, there is a series of 21 sensors arranged in a grid, and then you trace your finger over them. This gesture is then translated into any number of things (numbers, letters, video game input, music controls, etc.), depending on the situation.

Moreover, the demo phone that they have on display at ITU Telecom World 2006 boasts something else in additon to this innovative LatticeKey interface. Sure, it may look like a vanilla flip phone, but that hinge just keeps going, so that you can create a stand-like effect with the keys and display facing outward.