Taking a cue from the likes of the Echo Show 10, the Lenovo Auto Twist concept conjures up a face-tracking, Windows 11 Pro laptop with a motorized hinge. Revealed as part of Lenovo's Innovation World event adjacent to IFA 2024, the Auto Twist is definitely one of the more imaginative pieces of computing hardware we've seen this year.
As it turns out, the concept device is aptly named. The 13.3-inch display twists and rotates and even dances all automatically. With vertical 180-degree and horizontal 270-degree movement (at 30 degrees and 20 degrees per second respectively) the Auto Twist is capable of carrying out a collection of convenient functions.
First, using AI, the laptop’s 5MP camera can detect your face and track it as you move. This could come in handy during presentations or video calls when it comes to staying in frame. Lenovo even included a panoramic photo setting as part of the Auto Twist demo, and while I can't say I've ever wished my laptop could do such a thing, it worked as advertised.
Another neat trick baked into the Lenovo Auto Twist (powered by an Intel H Series Core Ultra 7 processor) is the ability to control the laptop’s screen hands-free via voice commands. During the demo some commands I tried were, “Hi Twist, open laptop," "Hi Twist, tablet mode," and "Hi Twist, close laptop"... you get the point.
Now, I'm not sure how much easier this was than just opening and adjusting my laptop with my hands, but I imagine that this could have some major potential from a user accessibility standpoint. And, it is cool that apparently when you walk away from the laptop, it will shut intuitively for your privacy's sake.
But as with anything with a motor and hinge, there’s a big question about how long something like this will last. Lenovo is estimating a life cycle of 20,000 times. It’s obviously a possible point of failure, though surprisingly, I didn't witness the machine suffer any snags.
That said, the Lenovo Auto Twist is very much just a concept, with no price or release dates in conversation. Similar to the company's transparent ThinkBook concept from earlier this year, the Auto Twist is simply being shown off to gauge reception and interest. Is this the kind of thing laptop shoppers are looking for? It's hard to say, but it does seem more modernly realistic than some of the other concepts we've seen over the years.
