Advantages of Multi-Touch Technology (IDC2009 Recap #2)

While working on a group project, I noticed how ill-suited mobile computers were for collaborative use. Even with computer display connected to an external projector and another mouse, it was impossible for more than one person to make edits when pulling together a PowerPoint presentation. Only one set of actions went through via vocal instructions to a laptop user, regardless of the number of ideas tossed out that could have been explored. This hampered productivity.

Imagine trying to have a conversation with five of your best friends that you haven’t seen in a year (yay!) except only one of you can speak at a time with no interruptions or exclamations. This is no way to work nor socialize.

I wished, then, for an operating system that would support a minimum of dual input (at least two mice, two cursors on one screen) for multiple-user single-tasking, AKA “group conversations” on a single workstation.

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Computing hardware has advanced by leaps & bound and become increasingly powerful, efficient, and reliable–whereas mainstream graphical user interfaces have remain unchanged, for the most part. 

Technology has allowed us to amass an immense amount of data in digital age (satellite imaging, radiology scans, genome sequences), but no user interfaces exist which can visualize, analyze, and present data as readily as multi-touch platforms can. Other than being downright cool, touch is ideal for consuming/presenting information. Because it is a more natural interface, it increases user productivity.

I’ve been drawn to it from the start.

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Zooming in and out of photographs is direct manipulation using two fingers of one hand, a bare bones gimmick for ads; it doesn’t scratch the surface of what true multi-touch (more than two input points!) is capable of.

For example,Perceptive Pixel offers pressure-sensitive multi-touch displays that can sense an unlimited number of simultaneous touches with accuracy and precision. Their displays come bundled with the right software and have applications in geo-intelligence, broadcasting, medical imaging, data exploration, digital storyboarding, industrial design…the list goes on. 

Interactive Displays Conference 2009 – Coming Up!

Multi-touch interactive displays, the choice interface of futuristic cinematic endeavors, now stand the forefront of the consumer electronics and multimedia entertainment industy. Highly intuitive user interfaces have been rapidly commercialized and integrated into daily life.

Stop and think about. Watching the news (CNN’s eight-foot “Magic Wall” courtesy of Perceptive Pixel), withdrawing cash from an ATM, making calls on a mobile phone, casting votes on Election Day, paying the bill at a restaraunt (courtesy of Microsoft Surface), getting directions with the latest GPS navigator, or gaming on a portable device. . . touch screens are ubiquitous.

But this is only the beginning, since touch is only one form of interactivity. Single-chip 3D engines & sensors coupled with multi-modal, multi-touch LCD displays will revolutionize the user experience in both computing and gaming. Display and technology developers already have holographic interactivity, haptics, and gestural interfaces (think supercharged Nintendo Wii) in the works. It’s all uphill from here.

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The Interactive Displays Conference 2009 is being hosted at the Hilton in San Jose two months from now. I’m quite excited about being able to attend and getting a market overview straight from industry heads! IDC2009 will assess advances, as mentioned above, and discuss the challenges of interactive display development and integration. Register here.

Great Expectations:

• Updates on surface computing from Microsoft
• Latest applications for interactive displays from uWink, Ecast, BMW and Flextronics
• Trends in interactive gaming technologies from 3M Touch Systems
• Multi-touch and the design of user experiences from Wacom Technologies
• Emerging holographic interaction technologies from EON Reality
• Design, affordability, interactivity of touch screens with Pixel Qi’s Mary Lou Jepsen, founding CTO of the OLPC Initiative
• Strategic analysis of the rapidly emerging interactivity industry from iSuppli

[Update] Looks like Jeff Han, founder of Perceptive Pixel [view official demo here], will be making an appearance for a keynote address!

The most advanced multi-touch systems in the world.

Jeff Han founded Perceptive Pixel to develop and market the most advanced multi-touch systems in the world. Above is the official demo. All I have to say is, HOT DAMN – that’s the stuff of dreams! 

Imagine coupling Perceptive Pixel’s systems with Intel’s Minority-Report-esque 3D translucent touchscreen wall at CES 2009!!! I can’t wait until multi-touch user interfaces go mainstream.

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I guess I should also mentionMicrosoft Surface, the first commercially-available surface computing platform as of 2007.

Surface computing is:

• Direct Interaction: Users can actually “grab” digital information with their hands – interacting with content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard.
• Multi–Touch: Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger like with a typical touch–screen, but up to dozens of items at once.
• Multi–User: The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around Microsoft Surface together, providing a collaborative, face–to–face computing experience.
• Object Recognition: Users can place physical objects on the display to trigger different types of digital responses; in the future, this will include the ability to transfer digital content.