Telepresence @ InfoComm 2009: Howard Lichtman's review

Howard Lichtman, of the Human Productivity Lab, wrote an interesting post reviewing various Telepresence companies featured at InfoComm 2009:

Telepresence at InfoComm 2009: A Review


According to Lichtman, "telepresence is the science and art of creating visual collaboration environments, networks, and strategies that duplicate in-person meeting experiences as completely as possible in both internal and external business communications. Effectively leveraging telepresence as an organizational and collaborative strategy can improve productivity and effectiveness by enhancing business communication, collaboration, and reducing physical travel."

(I'm a bit short on time today, so for more information regarding telepresence, take a look at the various links I've posted on this page.)

Here are a few items from Lichtman's post:

Musion Announces First Live Transatlantic Interactive 3D Hologram Public Broadcast

DVE Huddle Room with REALroom 3D (TM) option (augmented Reality/holographic appearance) -from http://www.devetelepresence.com/


Howard Lichtman's YouTube Channel

Links to posts about Singularity University, Designing for the Internet of Things, etc.

Here are a variety of links from the The World Is My Interface blog:

Singularity University? What about a Singularity Community College, with a mobile/distance learning option?

David Orban's Internet of Things & Spime Design presentation at the Singularity University 2009

The IBM Web or Internet of Things: "A Smarter Planet"

News about Smart Grids and Smart Kitchens

LTE vs WiMax: Trying my best to understand emerging technologies....

Pervasive Computing, DOOH, Intelligent Buildings, Programmable Nano-based Sensors, Privacy & Security, & Ethics...hmmm

Still a dream: Ubiquitous Women in Technology

Update on Multi-Touch, Multi-User NuMTyPYsics

A few months ago, I wrote a post about multi-touch "NuMTyPYsics". Here is an update:

Below is a video that shows how two use two single-touch Nokia Internet tablets to provide an emulation of multi-touch input for NuMTyPYsics, a drawing game that based on Numpty Physics:


Here's the description from Perlinet's YouTube channel:
"Using two single-touch tablets and a laptop running NuMTyPYsics, it's possible to emulate multi-touch input (max. 2 cursors - one from each tablet). This allows for precise input control and testing multi-touch applications. More info: http://thpinfo.com/2009/mt/"


The game is also based on Crayon Physics, using the Box2D engine.

Slideshare Presentation: Interactive Displays Perception, Awareness, and Interaction via Daniel Michelis

This is a good overview of interaction around displays in public spaces.

Interactive Displays Perception, Awareness, and Interaction

View more documents from danielmichelis.

RENCI at UNC-Charlotte has a Multi-Touch Table in the Visualization Center!

The Urbanization Explorer Touch Table at UNC-Charlotte
(Pictures from the RENCI blog)

I wish this multi-touch table was around when I last took a class at UNC-C! With help from the RENCI Europa team, this table that was only a dream was finally built.

The following information was posted on the RENCI Vis Group Multi-Touch Blog:

"Jason Coposky and Warren Ginn from RENCI Europa delivered UNC-Charlotte’s Multi-touch Table to the Charlotte Visualization Center last week. Dubbed the Urbanization Explorer Touch Table, the device’s first role will be to display the Urban Growth Model, developed by the Center for Applied Geographic Information Science (CAGIS) and UNC-Charlotte’s Urban Institute. By accessing historical patterns of growth in the region, this application will provide forecasts on how much growth is expected to take place based on these historical patterns. Using satellite imagery for the 24-county region around Mecklenburg, for four time periods: 1976, 1985, 1996 and 2006, the Urban Growth Model tracks the advance of impervious surfaces, a key indicator of development, in expansion across the area since 1976, and estimates the extent of urbanization through 2030. With interfaces developed by collaborators at the Charlotte Visualization Center, multiple users will be able to select areas of interest, zoom, pan, and navigate the colorful, large-format maps using only their fingertips and on-screen digital tools."

"First introduced at North Carolina State University’s Institute for Emerging Issues annual forum this past Februrary, this multi-touch table represents the next leap in performance in touch tracking. As opposed to the previous Direct Illumination (DI) technique employed in the original table, this table employs Diffused Surface Illumination (DSI). By employing a sheet of Cyro Acrylite EndLighten with polished edges and LED Edge-View Ribbon Flex from Environmental Lights, we’ve been able to distribute the IR illumination more evenly."


"Infrared LEDs on a trip from Environmental Lights is applied to the inside perimeter of the frame where the polished Endlighten acrylic sheet will be installed."

I want one to try out my touch-screen experiments!

RELATED
RENCI Displays the Urbanization Explorer Touch Table

At the 0:48 mark, you can see the RENCI Charlotte Urbanization Explorer Tool:

RENCI - Emerging Issues Forum 2009, Raleigh, NC in HD from Renaissaince Computing Institute on Vimeo.

UNC-Charlotte RENCI website

Hierarchical multi-touch selection techniques for collaborative geospatial analysis (pdf)
Thomas Butkiewicz, Dong Hyun Jeong, Zachary Wartell, William Ribarsky, and Remco Chang
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Interactive "Multimedia" at the Supermarket!

I've seen a few displays place right on the shelf with the food items over the past few months. The ones I've seen at Wal-Mart are tastefully done and are not too intrusive, but they are not interactive.


In my opinion,it would be much more useful if the screens were touch-enabled, so I could quickly access the information I needed. Who wants to stand in front of the Pringles while a video cycles through information that may not be what is needed?

Here is another example of an "interactive" display positioned at shelf-level:
I was in the cheese aisle at the supermarket the other day, and thought I heard something, but I wasn't sure what it was. I walked right by the source, and I was searching for it. Can you find it in the picture below?


(Picture taken by cellphone)

If you watch the video clip below, you can see that the "user experience" design behind this scenario needs quite a bit of improvement. I thought I might get a coupon from this display, but I was mistaken, disappointed, and unsure how to explain the situation to the cashier.

I was also disappointed because I know that there is much better technology available than this little...box!


(Video taken with cell phone)

The display says "SmartSource". SmartSource is a company that rents digital signage equipment, such as plasma video walls, waystation kiosks, and so forth. They work with Popstar Networks, a company that provides customized digital media marketing and communication solutions.

Popstar Networks now offers mobile digital advertising via Bluetooth-enabled digital media displays. Popstar Networks also provides 3D content as a holographic image. According to information from the Popstar Networks website, the 3D experience is provided through Philips 3D WOWvx technology.


You can watch a videoclip of 3D action from the Popstar Networks website: 3DTV

I suppose that the cheese aisle at the supermarket is not yet worthy of an interactive 3D "solution" : {

Apparently Philips thinks that 3D WOWvx technology is not worthy of pursuing, citing current market conditions:
Philips Decides to Shut Down 3D Operation
Chris Chinnock, Insight Media, Display Daily 3/27/09
Philips Stops Its 3D Solutions Venture
Adrian J. Cotterill, DailyDOOH 4/10/09
Philips Axes 3D Display Division
Devin Conors, Tom's Guide, 4/15/09

FYI: The following video explains 3D WOWvx: