HP Sprout is a PC with a 3D scanner and huge tactile touchpad

Then there’s the mat. This is a 20in tactile capacitive touchpad that allows you to interact with on-screen objects and graphics – and it works in conjunction with the screen, which is also touch sensitive.

But the mat isn’t just an input device – it’s also a display of its own, thanks to a projector mounted next to those 3D cameras. The projector beams an image onto the mat with which you can interact. It’s a setup which is likely to strike a chord with creative types (as evidenced by HP’s video testimonials with artists, designers and publishers), but there’s potential there for gaming and other activities too.

The computer, meanwhile, is a powerful Windows 8.1 machine with Intel Core i7 processor, powerful Nvidia GPU, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB flash drive. You can order it now in the US, priced at US$1,900 (around £1,175). The HP UK store does not yet feature it.

[Source: HP via Engadget]