Multitouch Demonstrations
First, watch this amazing video. It will spark your imagination as you see the fantasy from movies like Minority Report become potential reality:
Then, watch this followup demonstration, by the same engineer, which blows away the first demonstration.
This technology is obviously too expensive right now, but it exists and it is coming!
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Coolness!
April 15th, 2007 at 11:36 am
First, the camera person in that second video is terrible. We want to see what’s on the screen, so stand still!
Second, this technology is cool, but I can’t imagine how it would be applied to personal computing today. I don’t want to run my fingers across the screen of my iMac, my arms would get tired. I also don’t want to stand a foot away from a large screen all day. If anything, I can see this technology being used in a dual-display setup, where the keyboard and mouse are replaced by the multi-touch display, but you still have a “screen” display in front of you. Kind of like a big Nintendo DS on your desk.
Of course, I’m looking at this from the perspective of how we use computers right now. I’m sure that once technology like this advances, all of that will change.
April 16th, 2007 at 6:55 am
Many “desk jobs” don’t HAVE to be desk jobs, except that they have a computer to help them process things. Minority Report shows how sitting isn’t necessary for everyone’s job, and in fact, in some jobs, depending on the amount of time you need to work on the computer during a particular session, you might actually benefit by standing. Often we think better when standing; it gets our blood moving. As long as you don’t need to work for long periods of time where standing would get exhausting, a large panel would help with some professions that manage very tangible things.
Now, I’m a programmer, and I work on projects on the computer practically the whole time I’m work. And I’m using the keyboard constantly. That will not translate over to touchscreens very well. But what about general computer work, or work that isn’t so keyboard-centric? Well, imagine a TABLE that is touchscreen. Suddenly, you countertop is also literally your virtual workspace.
I dunno.. It opens doors, but like you said, it certainly requires a shift from our current perception of computer use.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I see what you mean. There are many times when I wish I didn’t have to sit in front of a computer to do my job. I’m a motion graphic designer, and I would love nothing more than to physically “grab” something and move it to where I want it to be, rather than using a keyboard and mouse. I could see a lot of creative jobs making good use of this technology.
A networked doctor’s office where each patient room has a large multitouch display on the wall would undoubtedly add a lot of functionality, like zooming in on virtual x-rays or CAT scans. Architecture firms and advertising agencies would surely benefit from this, but I still think we’re a long way from the everyday user running a word processor or composing an email on their display. Don’t get me wrong, I would ditch my iMac in a second if these were available now, but the applications need to catch up with the technology first.