Forget glassy touch screens -- the next big thing in human-machine interaction is tactile interfaces. Apple and Microsoft have texture-generating screens in the lab, meaning future devices will offer a new interactivity. (Feeling the keystrokes on your iPhone? Yes, please!) Touchy-feely tech is already present elsewhere, such as a haptic glove that gives sensory navigation cues to the visually impaired. It's one of several prototypes at this San Francisco meeting, where designers will discuss how the future will look -- and feel.

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