The following video is a nice demonstration of a multi-touch table game, Oculusia. The game was created by four students from the Aalborg University, Copenhagen, for Medialogy 2008. The students, Jens Fursund, Thomas Frohlich, Thomas Miksa, and Tobias Brogaard, also created the table.
"The Workbench displays 3D stereo images and the tracking system allows for interaction with virtual objects on the display surface. The tracking system uses infrared light to illuminate the display surface and the camera is only sensitive to infrared light. Basic image processing techniques are then applied to acquire position of the hand." A Multi-Touch DigitalPainting Application pdf(Søren Støvlbæk, Larsen Gavin, Francis Murray & Jesper Højgaard Pedersen:Institute of Electonic Systems, Computer Vision, and Graphics, Aalborg University 2007) The ReacTable: A Tangible Musical Instrument pdf(Martin Kaltenbrunner, Music Technology Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2006)
This video is a demo of a multi-touch table, called the DigiBoard, running a game application called "Tower Defense". This multi-modal game takes input from physical tokens, touch, and provides auditory feedback.
According to the credits on the video-clip, the creators of this application were Andreas Hesel, Birna Run Olafsdottir, DannSandgreen, and OskHilmarsdottir. When I can track down more information about this group, I'll post it!
For more information about interactive display technologies, see Gizmo Watch's Top 15 Interactive Display Technologies. The list is full of photos and video clips of a variety of systems. It was created last year, so it might need some updating.
I am still looking for some examples of good multi-touch table games for use in education. I've created a few prototypes that are not fully fleshed out over the past year, but I haven't had the time or money to build the type of adjustable table that I want.
I'd like my table surface to adjust horizontally, vertically, and angles in-between, like a drafting table. I don't want my table to rely on a projector, since I don't want unnecessary occlusion. A rear-projection system would be heavy and bulky. My design is light and sleek, and it is mobile.
The advantage of an adjustable design is that it allows for flexibility in use, within a single environment, and across a variety of settings. It could work well in schools, libraries, museums, convention centers, exhibit halls, hospitals, visitor centers, airports, public transportation stations, board rooms, data centers, malls, supermarkets, community centers, coffee houses...just about anywhere.
If you know of anyone who is creating an adjustable, multi-functional touch surface, please let me know.
I am playing around with ideas for a suite of multi-modal, adaptive game for use with young people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, and others who have special needs. A stationary surface would not provide the flexibility my applications will require.
Fingertapps is working on an application that utilizes NextWindow's multi-touch firmware, running on the second-generation HP Touchsmart PC. Fingertapps will be demonstrating their work in the NextWindow booth at Infocomm 2008 in Las Vegas, June 14-20.
A while ago, I posted a response on another blog, and someone mistakenly thought that I was a Microsoft shill. Me?!
Now I know why.
When I was looking at my blog stats, I noticed that one of my visitors found a recent post via a Google search on microsoft new interactive technology. Curiously, the post was at the very top of the list:
How did my post beat out over 29 million pages on the web?!
I've had an Apple computer, in one form or another, since 1985. When I decided to take a programming class a few years ago, I soon realized I had to adapt to the Windows world. I like C#, Silverlight, WPF, and XNA Game Studio. This does not make me a Microsoft shill.
I just happen to be overly passionate about interactive displays of all sizes, and fascinated with the possibilities of mult-touch. iPhones, touch-tables, touch-walls, devices that interact with displays (think Johnny Chung Lee), gesture + touch, urban screens, interactive exhibits, interactive way-finding... and the multimedia applications that support this sort of interaction.
I've written several posts about Apple's new technologies, like the iPod Touch and the new 3G iPhone. I'll be writing more about Apple as they research and develop flat panel displays:
"Apple is looking for a Senior Panel Process Engineer to lead the engineering activities to develop the new process and design for the multi-touch panel used in Apple products. This individual will serve as a focal point in the designing and the process development of advanced multi-touch panels from the concept to the product ramp."
I'd say I'm more of a cheerleader for all of those out there who are working so hard to create useful+cool technology for the future.
NextWindow, a company that produces large interactive touch-screen displays, including those with multi-touch capabilities, was responsible for the touch-screen embedded in the TouchSmart PC.
The new iPhone is filled with possibilities....In this post, I'm sharing some pictures of the iPhone that look interesting to educators and those of us who want to increase our interactive multimedia communication and entertainment when we are out and about.
The following pictures from a post I came across on the engadget website today, authored by Ryan Block, while he attended today at WWDC 2008. The new 3G iPhone, with a price of $199.00, was the focus of Steve Job's keynote. I've added a few links to the developers of new iPhone apps, where possible.
3G is fast
Apple offers MobileMe service for the iPhone, which is something most people on-the-go will appreciate:
"Everything you need. Anywhere you are."
"MobileMe stores your email, calendar, and contacts on a secure online server, or “cloud.” The cloud pushes the most current data to your iPhone, iPod touch, and computer so you’re always up to date. And your email, calendar, contacts, photos, and documents are accessible over the Internet through a set of easy-to-use web applications."
Push email, push calendar, and push contacts Web applications at me.com
MobileMe Gallery for photo sharing MobileMe iDisk for online document access
20GB of online storage
This would make the iPhone ideal for mobile learning! Here is an example of an application for science:
Great for musicians and music students who are away from their gear:
According to Ryan Block, this application is from Moo Cow Music. The application is called "Band". Here are the features, as listed on the Moo Cow Music website:
Drums, bass, guitars, keyboards can all be played and recorded into one song from the same application.
Multitouch - press up to five keys at once for complex chords.
Animation shows keys being pressed, strings being struck, etc.
Any instrument can be recorded, or overdubbed onto a previous recording.
Erase any mistakes, then go back and overdub replacement notes.
A configurable metronome can be enabled or disabled during recording.
Here is a video of the beta version of the application:
"Kroll", from Digital Legends Entertainment, runs on the iPhone and is an action-adventure fantasy game.
