Mikey Campbell, writing for Apple Insider:

As granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple’s U.S. Patent No. 9,178,509 for an “Ultra low travel keyboard” describes the basic operating principles behind a completely switch-less QWERTY input mechanism reminiscent of the company’s Force Touch trackpads. Removing mechanical switches from the equation cuts precious millimeters off key height, allowing for even thinner MacBook designs.

Thinner keys, thinner MacBooks is one thing, but force touch triggered by a key press opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

Imagine Force Touch on a key used to precisely control a process. Force Touch a key to scroll up or down, move the cursor, steer a vehicle in a game, change the touch on a MIDI keyboard or drum kit as its playing in real time. So many ways this might be used.

Love this idea.