So what’s the future for operating your smartphone, maybe operating your phone without the need to hold it and touch it? Over time using a smartphone we all get used to where things are and it becomes second nature to the user, however German researchers are working on a new interface that cuts out the need to have your smartphone in your hand and operate the device by simply touching the palm of your hand.

The guys over at Technology Review have a short demonstration video showing this in action using an iPhone, and the concept relies on a “depth-sensitive” camera to pick up the sliding and tapping interactions on a palm, a wireless radio to deliver the instructions back to the iPhone, and software to analyst the video.

Professor of computer sciences at Hasso Plattner Institute, Potsdam, Germany, Patrick Baudisch, stated that the imaginary smartphone prototype “serves as a shortcut that frees users from the necessity to retrieve the actual physical device.”

Apparently the imaginary phone project requires no new gestures as the concept just transfers the iPhone screen to your palm, and there’s no feedback, as the concept isn’t meant to replace the phone entirely but to make some interactions more convenient.

I’m not too sure if being able to operate your iPhone without having the iOS smartphone in your hands would take off, but it sure is an interesting project, so don’t forget to check our their article and video footage and please come back and let us know what you think, and if you would like to see this technology come to the iPhone.