Intel's Jason Rattner gave the keynote at Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2008 and shed some light on projects Intel researchers are working on. Rattner said that Intel's research labs are attempting to make significant changes in the human-machine interface.

One example of how Intel is looking at changing the human-computer interface is with computer systems that can be physically altered by the user depending on how the user needs the device to function.

Intel researchers are looking at methods to make tiny micro-robots -- called catoms -- that could be built into materials able to change shape at the will of the user. Using catoms Intel reports that the case, keyboard, and display of a computer would be able to change from an earpiece when used as a phone, to a large and flat screen and keyboard for web surfing.