Tag Archives: touch screen

Microsoft shows off future tech including remote applications, transparent displays, augmented reality mirrors, and lag-free touch screens

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The inventive minds at Microsoft Research and the company’s Applied Sciences Group are experimenting with advanced technologies to come up with new ways of computing and communicating for the future.

First up is “IllumiShare”, a camera-projector pair that enables remote people to share any physical or digital object on any surface. As you can see in the demonstration embedded above, with IllumiShare a simple Skype conversation can be transformed into an interactive workspace that can be manipulated by one or more persons. The applications for this are endless; this tech can allow for remote gameplay, as well as introduce new methods of remote teaching.

Jump after the break for more! Continue reading Microsoft shows off future tech including remote applications, transparent displays, augmented reality mirrors, and lag-free touch screens →

Skinput brings user interactivity to your body

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Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft have teamed together to create a different type of user input system.  It’s aptly called Skinput and here’s how it works:

We present Skinput, a technology that appropriates the human body for acoustic transmission, allowing the skin to be used as a finger input surface. In particular, we resolve the location of finger taps on the arm and hand by analyzing mechanical vibrations that propagate through the body. We collect these signals using a novel array of sensors worn as an armband. This approach provides an always-available, naturally-portable, and on-body interactive surface.

Veddy veddy interesting.  Potential applications for such a daring input system include cell phone calls, video games, mp3 players.  Is it practical?  I’m not so sure.  But the idea of having a hierarchical menu system accessible on your forearm and manipulated by the touch of your finger and its vibrations just sounds and looks (see the video above) so cool!

[Via NewScientist; Gizmodo]

Digital guitar doesn’t need strings

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The Misa Digital Guitar is basically a MIDI controller hidden inside what appears to be a standard guitar.  It’s no so standard in that it doesn’t have any strings; instead it contains 144 note buttons and a large touch screen control pad.  Since it’s an open source Linux-powered MIDI controller at heart, it can play a variety of instrument packs you have installed on your computer.  Let the digital future of shredding commence!

[Via Engadget]