Final yr, Lenovo confirmed off a fantastically futuristic idea gadget known as Undertaking Crystal, which was the world’s first laptop computer to function a clear MicroLED show. However at present, in what has grow to be a practice for Lenovo throughout IFA, the corporate is again with one more demo pocket book, this time outfitted with a motorized rotating hinge.
Dubbed the Auto Twist AI PC, Lenovo’s newest idea appears virtually precisely like a standard clamshell when closed. Nonetheless, with a easy voice command, its lid raises robotically and rotates into virtually any place — even all the best way round into pill mode. Whereas there is no such thing as a official pricing, and even plans to carry the gadget to full manufacturing simply but, Lenovo says the Auto Twist is designed to supply enhanced adaptability, improved ergonomics and probably higher safety. However for now, the corporate’s important aim is solely to see what environments or use instances may be capable to greatest reap the benefits of a laptop computer with this type of novel design.
Due to built-in object monitoring, for instance, the Auto Twist can transfer its show and observe folks as they stroll round a room, which might be very useful when making displays. It will possibly additionally detect an individual’s physique, and probably even their posture, earlier than shifting its show into the very best place to cut back fatigue or pressure.
Alternatively, the laptop computer can detect when it’s not getting used after which shut its personal lid to forestall undesirable customers from gaining entry. And whereas the Auto Twist’s AI tag feels a bit spurious, Lenovo hopes the laptop computer will be capable to do a lot of these items by itself or by way of easy pure language voice management (the laptop computer at the moment helps instructions to rework into laptop computer mode, clamshell mode and extra).
After seeing it in particular person, probably the most quick use case that got here to my thoughts was in POS (point-of-sale) cost terminals. Right here, workers typically should manually flip a display round in order that the client can see their whole or add in issues like a tip. Granted, the Auto Twist does appear to be overkill in that state of affairs contemplating how straightforward it’s to rotate a display across the old style manner along with your palms a primary hinge. And a minimum of from what I noticed, the built-in motor wasn’t fairly as easy as you’d in all probability need for industrial functions. However, it’s an fascinating concept with potential for high-end luxurious retailers.
Then there’s simply the enjoyable of it. Throughout my demo, I watched because the Auto Twist performed a clip of a dancer as its motorized hinge tried to make its show match the particular person’s actions. I additionally noticed the laptop computer swivel its show horizontally to current an ultra-wide panoramic photograph in a extra participating manner. Moreover, whereas different bleeding-edge tech like laptops with foldable shows undergo from a ton of added weight and bulk, the rotating servo on Lenovo’s newest idea is comparatively unobtrusive and there isn’t a big impact on the gadget’s general portability.
So whereas it stays to be seen how helpful the Auto Twist actually is or what it would flip into down the road, I respect that Lenovo remains to be making an attempt to give you new methods to evolve the basic clamshell laptop computer.
