Volumetric 3D table allows physical interfaces for the future

Just the other day I was talking about the possibilities a volumetric 3D table would allow, and it didn't take them long to actually turn some of those into real-life examples that won't require you to simply "imagine it". Now you can see it in action for yourself... and be amazed by what can be done right now.

The following vídeo shows us things like telepresence physical interaction - where a remote user can actually move around physical objects on the other end; but also a wide number os applications ranging from simples physical user interfaces that you can interact with using other objects (or simply your hand) to games that would allow children to keep in touch with the "physical world" instead of relying on a "touchless" flat block of glass we call tablets.

From the bery first time I saw this tablet I couldn't stop wondering about the amazing possibilities it opens up for the future; and once you see the following video, I dare you not to do the same. (And don't stop at what you see right now, just imagine what could be done if instead of a blocky 32x32 elements table you had a 1024x1024 "high resolution" 3D surface? Or what if instead of a table, the actual floor in our rooms would have the same transformation abilities? A morphing room that could that the shape of whatever we needed? Now we're talking about a future I certainly hope to see come true!

SpaceTop 3D Lets you Put your Hands "Inside" Your Desktop

It's not easy to let go of the existing concepts we've grown to use and imagine what might come next. Just like decades ago people were amazed by the graphical desktop user interface, with movable and resizable windows and a mouse pointer (hard to think there was a time when cursor keys ruled the computer interaction, isn't it?) it's now time to be amazed with this SpaceTop 3D that offers you a 3D desktop you can really put your hands into.

Developed by Jinha Lee at Microsoft, this system uses a transparent screen and cameras to track both your hands (in 3D space) and your head. Knowing the precise position of your head and orientation is important in order to show a perspective corrected desktop image on the screen and create the illusion of a real floating 3D desktop.

It might seem too far-fetched for now, but when you consider Google plans to have their Project Glass glasses out by the end of the year, and that we'll have a screen right in front of our eyes... this sot of thing might very well become a lot easier to implement. Who can imagine how things will look like four or five years from now?



SpaceTop, CHI 2013 from Jinha Lee on Vimeo.

LightBeam Physical Displays and Interface

No one even thinks about it anymore. A futuristic interface shown on a screen is now... common. But things change if those same interface "jump out" into the real world, as this LightBeam predicts.

Using picoprojectors to turn any surface into an interactive movable screen isn't new, nor is using real-life objects to interact with it - such as rotating a coffe mug to access Facebook (as seen on the video). But it serves to show us that our future homes still have a long way to go. Who wouldn't like to be able to access the internet, or recipes, or video-chatting with friends when you're on the kitchen -for instance- and using the available physical objects as "controllers"?

Let's hope the falling prices of picoprojectors and 3D cameras like Kinect allows this kind of technology to come to our houses soon... Unless Google's digital augmented reality glasses don't make it obsolete by then.



[via Engadget]

Ubuntu Trades Menus for HUD Interface

It might sound strange to hear Ubuntu is working on making a more usable user interface for keyboard users, in a time where most people are flocking around touch devices which lack a keyboard; but indeed it is what it's doing. With version 12.04 LTS Ubuntu will offer a overlayed Head Up Display (HUD) which claims to make life easier for users tired of navigating through endless menu levels.

I don't if this will appease all those users that are highly critical of the Unity interface... But at least is seem like something different that might appeal for keyboard power users (though much of what it does can already be accomplished today using 4rd party programs).

Madget Physical Multitouch Controls

While the market progresses into touchscreens and virtual interaction, there is still the need for actual physical interface controls in many areas.

And that's exactly why projects like this Madget Interface, with real and physical controls moving around like "magic" over a multitouch reactive screen is simply... amazing. :)

Asus shows Eee Touch Interface

As I've been saying: the most important thing to turn a touchscreen into a useful feature... is all about the interface and the software behind it.

I'm glado to see ASUS pushing these interfaces forward, forcing the competition to "keep up, or else..."

Check the following video of what you can easily do on the new Eee PC "Touch".

Minority Report Interface

Is there anyone who saw Minority Report without being amazed by the futuristic gesture based interface used by Tom Cruise?

Well, once again what began as a science-fiction concept has turned real...

Just watch this G-Speak, from Oblong, in motion:


g-speak overview 1828121108 from john underkoffler on Vimeo.

Win-iPhone

I always said it was just a matter of time, and here's the proof: iSwish.

If you find iPhone's user interface to be fantastic, then you'll be glad to know that soon every Windows Mobile will be able to have a very similar interface.



I just find it sad that we had to endure all those years, while Pocket PCs and Windows mobile devices were on the streets, trying to use an awkward interface completely unsuitable for mobile users - and if it weren't for the iPhone, maybe we'd still be stuck with it for years to come.

Let's hope iSwish can deliver its promisses. :)

Andrew Fentem Multitouch Interfaces

I've read this interview on Gizmodo, and I was fascinated with the projects of Andrew Fentem in the field of multitouch interfaces and kinetic surfaces. It is precisely this type of work that will revolutionize the way people interact with computers in the future.

Check this multitouch cube, which can be used in many more ways than a simple 21st century Rubik Cube puzzle (it can also be used to play Pac-Man, by the way:)



Or this High-speed detection "air-hockey" virtual table.


Though you can certainly find similar projects, keep in mind this one was built in 2001, and still beats current touch technologies when it comes to fast response times. Current systems need to improve their speed and work in such large areas.

If you visit his website, you'll be impressed with some of his projects.

I was mesmerized with his kinetic table, which blends virtual and physical action in a way that seems almost impossible:



But don't forget to check the interactiv floor surface, and the Led Eyes... who knows, maybe will see them in action in real applications before we expect it.

PointUI - Improve your Windows Mobile

PointUI is the perfect example of how you can easily use existing hardware in much better and easier ways.

You may have a lot of good things to say about windows mobile - but no one can deny that its interface is not very useful. It's basically a mini-version of the same interface you have on a desktop PC, with the same menus and drop-downs options that are not suitable for mobile operation (not to mention requiring a stylus or multiple cursor key pressing.)

PointUI is a free program that shows how it could all be a lot simpler, and that it's time to invest in innovative and useful interfaces - just like Apple has been doing with its iPhone and iPod Touch.

Just watch this Youtube video:



You can download PointUI for free.

The Future of Man-Computer Interfaces

The computer mouse was a revolution (depending on how old you are) but what can we expect from the future?
Are we doomed into using keyboards and mouses for the rest of our lives?
Or is there something exciting waiting for us, just around the corner?

There are a lot of innovative projects: from MS Surface, which may very well revolutionize computer interaction, to PhotoSynth (a truly sci-fi idea made real), to holographic displays like Cheops360.

To know more about it just head to Smashing Magazine and watch a lot more photos and videos about it.