Microsoft demonstrates its Surface on a spherical display. Sphere, which is the name of the new concept, allows viewing pictures, videos and the like in a 360-degree angle.
The images are produced by a projector, which is placed inside the translucent sphere. Certain algorithms fit the picture to the round display shape. The interaction with the user is done via infrared sensors.
The head of the Sphere project at Microsoft, Hrvoje Benko, is sure that there will be many interactive displays of this type in future. Today the researchers focus to observe how people interact with the Sphere.
The project will be presented at the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit 2008 in Redmond.
read more at seattlepi.com
Showing posts with label interface. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interface. Show all posts
Mirosoft Surface gets spheric
MS Surface starting mid-April at AT&T
Microsoft brings the surface for corporate customers on the market, starting with some selected branches of US mobile phone giant AT&T.
We reported in November last year on the impending launch of MS Surface, a new type of human-machine interface with multi-touch. On April 17th the surface will be presented at AT&T stores (not, as originally announced in T-Mobile stores) in New York, Atlanta, San Antonio and San Francisco.
The Microsoft Surface at AT&T (source: engadget.com)
More pictures and details at engadget.com
Multi-touch interface at CNN newsroom
multi-touch system at CNN (youtube video) According to CNN, the main advantage of this technology is, that complicated matters for the prediction of the election result could be visualized very easy. For example, pie charts got adjusted by hand movement to show the impact on the final result.
For reporting on the US presidential primaries CNN used the multi-touch technology from Perceptive Pixel.
A multi-touch system similar to that of Microsoft (as reported in November 2007) was installed in the CNN newsroom.
A detailed report about this system on washingtonpost.com.
Novel remote control concepts
In future the remote control could loose its conventional look - a rectangular block with buttons or touch screens. New approaches subject intuitive controls and novel design language.
History of the remote control
The invention of the remote control goes back to the 1950s. In 1956 the first wireless ultrasonic remote control was on the market. Today's remote controls are primarily based on the infrared and radio-transmission technology. But the basic shape of the remote control remained since its invention virtually unchanged.
the Space Command by Zenith from 1956
There are, however, in addition to the development of the "classical" approach, new concepts for the design of remote controls. Some are now presented here.
An apple as a remote control
According to the study by Jason Roebuck, the remote control could get the shape of apple. The control is done primarily done through motion gestures. A rotating movement should tune the volume of a TV, for example.
the apple remote control by Jason Roebuck
In addition, the study design intends that any person in a household has its own remote control, each adapted to individual needs. The matching "fruit bowl" for the apples will also act as a charging station.
the apples in their charging station
A cube as a remote control
A very similar approach was presented early 2007 by Telekom Austria in cooperation with Austria Research Centers. As control element a cube without any keys is used. By turning, tilting or shaking all common control signals are transmitted to a TV. When the cube is placed in the holder, the TV is on standby.
the Cube by Telekom Austria
A porcelain bowl as a remote control
The study of Yuta Watanabe doesn’t forego on buttons, but the form and material is novel. With the use of ceramics a high quality and fragile material was chosen deliberately to ad a higher value to the remote control. Beyond that the rounded shape makes the remote control to a subject of decoration.
porcelain bowl remote control by Yuta Watanabe
A bracelet as a remote control
Chloe Fung designed a remote control specifically for women. .She built the control of the so-called Orbit Remote in a bracelet.
the Orbit Remote by Chloe Fung
read more...
Tactile touch screen by Nokia
Nokia presented the so-called Haptikos system, the first tactile touch screen. The haptic feedback on this touch screen supposed to be quite similar to a normal keyboard.
The technology behind the system is quite simple. There are two piezoelectric sensor plates arranged behind the display. The display itself is additionally equipped with a free movement of 0.1 mm. The fine-tuning of the system proved to be the largest challenge, as it was the feeling of a real key stroke to be exactly reconstructed.
the Haptikos system on a Nokia N770 internet tablet
A journalist from the Red Ferret Journal was able to get the hand on the system installed on a Nokia N770 internet tablet. He was very impressed by the effect. The feeling on the touch screen is indeed like on a real keyboard.
Nokia plans to introduce the tactile touch screens with its new S60 series in the year 2008.
Innovations in keyboard design
The evolution of traditional input devices continues. The Russian design studio Art Lebedev is going to launch the first keyboard with variable OLED displays by the end of the year. Another approach focuses on the flexible arrangement of the keys.Optimus Maximus, the russian interface
Every single button of Optimus Maximus is replaceable, has its own OLED display and can be used with different functions, such as letters, symbols or icons for special function buttons. The OLED with a resolution of 48 by 48 pixels displays the actual key function.
Optimus Maximus by Art Lebedev (youtube Video)A great advantage is, that the key adapts to the respective program, which runs on the computer, and so work should be done faster and easier. Each user can adjust the keys to their individual needs and working patterns. But there are also some critical aspects of this product. First, compared with normal keyboards, despite the use of OLED technology, there is higher energy consumption (it requires a separate power supply). Form an ergonomic view the keyboard could act as a disturbing light source in the visual area of the user.
Ergodex DX1, even the position gets individually
A slightly different keyboard system offers the Ergodex DX1 keyboard. The keys don’t have displays, but the function of up to 50 keys could be defined individually. For each key you could choose the position on a special plate.
A slightly different keyboard system offers the Ergodex DX1 keyboard. The keys don’t have displays, but the function of up to 50 keys could be defined individually. For each key you could choose the position on a special plate.
In the delivery contents are predefined or writable stickers for each key. With the free distribution of the keys a maximum ergonomic arrangement should be possible. Initial tests of this keyboard came to a conclusion, that the Ergodex DX1 is more a complement to existing keyboard, not a replacement.
Ergodex DX1 keyboardMulti-touch interface - Microsoft Surface
With the planned introduction early 2008 Microsoft fosters the final breakthrough of a special variant of human-machine interaction - the so-called multi-touch interface. An intuitive digital data handling seems to be possible.
History of the multi-touch interfaces
Research in multi-touch systems is done since the early 1980s. In various research layouts at universities and major corporations the technology was developed. According to Microsoft, the first Surface prototypes were put in an Ikea table in 2001. Since then, about 80 more prototypes of the Surface were built. A very good overview of the historical development stages shows the site of Bill Buxton.
Structure of the Microsoft Surface
It uses a standard PC with Microsoft Vista, five infrared sensors and a DLP-projector, which projects the picture from the bottom of the table. With the infrared sensors the touching is registered. Further details about the technical design at popularmechanics.
Unlike a conventional touch-screen, Surface recognizes the movements of several fingers. Therefore several people can work at the same time on the Microsoft Surface. Microsoft calls this feature "Multi-User Experience". Using "Object Recognition" the Surface recognizes items placed on it.
The system is equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to exchange data with mobile phones or digital cameras. In future, RFID or NFC should also be in use.
Initial applications
Microsoft delivers the Surface early 2008 only to business customers like casinos or hotels. At T-Mobile USA the Surface should be used as a tool to support sales of mobile phones. The price will be in a range from 5,000 to 10,000 US dollars.
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