Multi-Touch Computing

I saw this video this week by TEDtalks presented by Jeff Han.  Overall, I thought it was a  really cool idea to be able to have multiple touch points on the computer screen with very few bad points.  The whole concept of this computing interaction is to be able to take out all the hassles of point and click with a mouse and replace it with real-time, natural interaction with the objects on screen with as little need for an interface as possible.

First off, the ability to manipulate photos on screen with your hands is a very good idea.  The first thing I thought of for this were the implications it could possibly have for photoshop.  Even though Han said that there would be no real interface, Adobe could work out a system to create that interface to make be able to change between tools (like now, only now it will be ‘on demand’).  This would make it so that tablets (it’s just a touch screen without the screen) would not have to be in use anymore, they are a little expensive for their small size.  A five inch tablet (the smallest size) could cost as little as a hundred dollars.  If you see my next 20% time post you will see why anything with the pencil tool is difficult without a tablet.  The idea about satellite imaging was intriguing too.

 cc “tablet 1” by Randall Bennett

Next, I enjoyed the concept for integrating it into business.  Most everyone has thought about having automated order/serving machines from the auto-man to “Back to the Future”.  Yet, I had no idea that the technology was actually that close to production.  Microsoft has already started fine tuning their Microsoft Surface computer.  I really like this because it has the programing to recognize objects and wirelessly transfer information.  Such things like these will make things quite interesting in the decades to come.

The only thing I do not like is that because it is still so new, and apparently the company is having difficulty launching their product, that there are going to be huge amounts of glitches in the system for (in my opinion) several versions down the line.  Hopefully, they can work to prevent that.

20% Time 3/17/08 »« 20% Time 3/9/08