The Queen’s Human Media Lab (HML) unveiled their new MagicScroll project in Barcelona, Spain on Sept 4. 

The MagicScroll device has a 7.5 inch, 2K resolution touch-screen which rolls around a cylindrical body. It can also be flattened into a tablet display and includes a rotary wheel at either end, allowing users to scroll seamlessly through the information on the display.

The main draw of the device is its camera, which allows users to control it with gestures when its rolled up.  

This cutting-edge technology has ancient inspiration, according to Professor Roel Vertegaal, project head and director of the lab. 

In a statement, Vertegaal said the team was “inspired by the design of ancient scrolls, because their form allows for a more natural, uninterrupted experience of long visual timelines.”

In an interview with The Journal, Vertegaal said he wanted to explore the possibility of a continuous display on a uniquely portable device. 

He added the lightweight cylindrical device is much easier to hold with one hand than traditional tablets. 

The MagicScroll—a first of its kind and still a prototype—has garnered an overall response which Vertegaal said has been “overwhelmingly positive.” 

“There’s been a lot of media attention, that tells me there is a market for this,” he added.

The HML described MagicScroll as “an iPad that fits in your pocket,” and Vertegaal said he sees a use for the device in everyday life, from reading while commuting to browsing social media. 

The device is still in development and Vertegaal estimates it will be five years before it hits the market.