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OmniTouch Turns Any Surface into a Touchscreen
OmniTouch technology from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon uses depth-sensing and pico projector to turn any surface, including skin, into a touchscreen.
According to SmartPlanet, researchers from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon have released OmniTouch, a system that turns any surface into a touchscreen. And I mean ANY surface. Your hand, arm, the wall. Anywhere the projector is aimed becomes a working touchscreen.
The system is composed of a depth-sensing camera and laser-based pico projector that sits on a person's shoulder, kind of like having a harmonica neck holder, except it holds the tiny projector.
According to SmartPlanet, the projector "transforms the image into an electronic signal, which then sparks laser lights of different colors. Those in turn get copied and projected by mirrors, pixel-by-pixel, onto the selected surface. The depth-sensing camera then detects when a user’s fingers are touching the 'screen' (the surface the user has designated) and 'pressing' a button on it."
The OmniTouch technology can sense the finger "clicking" on something as small as one centimeter, and it can sense dragging, according to SmartPlanet.
You need to watch this video to understand it. My big question: what integrator will be the first to install this as a menu ordering system at Hooters?
The system is composed of a depth-sensing camera and laser-based pico projector that sits on a person's shoulder, kind of like having a harmonica neck holder, except it holds the tiny projector.
According to SmartPlanet, the projector "transforms the image into an electronic signal, which then sparks laser lights of different colors. Those in turn get copied and projected by mirrors, pixel-by-pixel, onto the selected surface. The depth-sensing camera then detects when a user’s fingers are touching the 'screen' (the surface the user has designated) and 'pressing' a button on it."
The OmniTouch technology can sense the finger "clicking" on something as small as one centimeter, and it can sense dragging, according to SmartPlanet.
You need to watch this video to understand it. My big question: what integrator will be the first to install this as a menu ordering system at Hooters?
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Article Topics
News · Videos · Displays · Projectors and Screens · Home Automation and Control · Control Systems ·About the Author
Jason Knott, Editor, CE Pro
Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990. He joined EH Publishing in 2000, and before that served as publisher and editor of Security Sales, a leading magazine for the security industry. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. He is currently a member of the CEDIA Education Action Team for Electronic Systems Business. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California.
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I can’t wait until this comes out. I want to mount it to a head band and chase my girlfriend around the house.