In Between 3D Buttons and Touch Screens
The folks at Carnegie Mellon University are creating a new interface technology called “inflatable buttons” that combines the cognitive features of physical three dimensional buttons with those of touch or flat screen controls. Sounds like a tweak but it could significantly change the cognitive load and therefore the chance for human error in many applications.
[Bubble Buttons, Source Popular Mechanics]
Check out their two minute YouTube video, Providing Physically Changeable Buttons on a Visual Display.