We’ve seen the tables. We’ve seen the upright TVs. We’ve seen the wall transformations.

We’ve seen a lot of very impressive work, and as a DIY community, we’re elevating this method of man-machine interfacing to a whole new level.  So what’s the next step?

After talking a little with some others in the community, I’m convinced we can take this to a whole new level.  So, this thread is for all of those with exotic visions of builds not seen before, of ideas that might seem crazy, and of cutting-edge techniques.

So you wanted a shiny new multitouch table on a strict budget, so you take some cash from the savings you’ve put aside for that huge TV you’ve been wanting.  Why not have both? Why does your new multitouch platform be restricted to only a horizontal plane? Why can’t it be easily transitioned to a vertical format, without flipping the table over?

So let’s see it, folks.  What’s the next big thing?

I once had a rant about women in bars having tangible user interfaces in their knickers…

Larky - 23 July 2008 01:59 PM

I once had a rant about women in bars having tangible user interfaces in their knickers…

hahaha

What we all do here with a projector and camera is great for development and some have been deployed out in the real world, but let’s be real. It’s not really something that can be scaled up for mass production in it’s current state of the art.

Other technologies are emerging though that may make things easier. My prediction of the next big thing would be OLEDs embedded on a thin substrate that also has capacitance touch ability and can sense multiple touchpoints WITHOUT a camera and IR illumination.

You will buy it rolled up in a tube. It will wirelessly connect to a separate CPU box with inputs for video and audio. It’ll have it’s own hard drive, cd/dvd drive, digital HDTV tuner, Satellite radio.. all that, built in.
The OS onboard will support MT or a conventional keyboard and mouse or all three. Programs include multimedia apps, MT apps, and the usual office suite and web browser.
You can put it on a wall, on a table, on a floor, on the side of a truck or building, around a large column! Screens will come in different sizes and you’ll be able to network multiple screens from thr same CPU.

I love to brainstorm stuff like this and let my imagination run wild. That’s how the future starts… in the imagination.

Next?

Tinkermans right, The projector/camera set up is great for testing stuff out, But the if the big manufacturers see it as a viable commercial oppertunity then we will see MT tech embedded in flat screens.  Dell have already implemented MT into a laptop. So its only a matter of time. Oooh Bend polymer screen, no no don’t bend it that way {CRACK} !!!

Some people have experimented with interactive mid-air projection, which is pretty cool too.

Here’s a recent article I read on physorg.com:

http://www.physorg.com/news136037378.html

It’s about making flexible circuits using carbon nanaotubes.

Tinkerman - 23 July 2008 09:25 PM

What we all do here with a projector and camera is great for development and some have been deployed out in the real world, but let’s be real. It’s not really something that can be scaled up for mass production in it’s current state of the art.

Other technologies are emerging though that may make things easier. My prediction of the next big thing would be OLEDs embedded on a thin substrate that also has capacitance touch ability and can sense multiple touchpoints WITHOUT a camera and IR illumination.


You will buy it rolled up in a tube. It will wirelessly connect to a separate CPU box with inputs for video and audio. It’ll have it’s own hard drive, cd/dvd drive, digital HDTV tuner, Satellite radio.. all that, built in.
The OS onboard will support MT or a conventional keyboard and mouse or all three. Programs include multimedia apps, MT apps, and the usual office suite and web browser.
You can put it on a wall, on a table, on a floor, on the side of a truck or building, around a large column! Screens will come in different sizes and you’ll be able to network multiple screens from thr same CPU.


I love to brainstorm stuff like this and let my imagination run wild. That’s how the future starts… in the imagination.

Next?

I mostly agree with this, but until these other technologies can do object recognition there is still a market for camera based mt technology.

of course, the proliferation of wireless internet access and the advent of cloud computing make the screen concept a very feasible concept in the coming years.  And as more and more components get smaller and smaller, more novel technologies will arise dealing with multitouch or related technologies, such as gesture based. 

As Admiral points out, until something else can perform object recognition the same way a camera can (especially in the case of DI type setups), The optical solution will persist. And it is an attractive option, and will continue to be. Camera sensors are getting better and better, and computers keep getting faster.

One thing I’d be interested in seeing is the use of proximity sensors of similar principle to the theremin miniaturized and used as a type of interface.  By including multiple antannae of smaller sizes behind a screen, one would potentially be able to triangulate 3D shapes in front of the screen. 

not to mention you’d have one sweet theremin.

I think before hardware can go any further we have to advance the software.  I outline what I mean by this is this thread:
http://nuigroup.com/forums/viewthread/2538/

True, but that seems more along the lines of a social engineering problem, or ergonomics at best.  Altering the way we think and function, or rather applying the way we think and function to better suit our activities. 

But simply saying that it’s a hardware/software issue isn’t quite cutting it.  They go hand-in-hand, and in applications such as this each needs to have the flexibility and adaptability to function for everyone.

The reason touchscreens have not been as huge in the past is because they were prohibitive.  They simplified user interactions for tasks requiring lots of on-screen options, but have always tended to be niche markets.  Until recently, it made very little sense to have a touch-screen computer because it would limit productivity in most applications, and would have been pretty expensive as well.  We’re doing a pretty good job of bridging that gap, pushing this technology into the mainstream and putting it in the hands of the average joe.

I love new ideas. I love forward thinking. But I hold firmly to the belief that necessity is the mother of invention.  Is anyone working on a touchscreen project that can boast a feature set more than just “you can touch the screen” and “it looks awesome”?

I’ve personally been toying with the idea of using a holographic film sandwiched between acrylic as a projection screen to create a see-through touch screen, which could be incorporated as a window or such.