WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.
A joint venture undertaken by MultiTouch and the European Insistute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) ICT Labs has produced the first 3D motion sensing multi-touch wall which is currently being displayed at CeBIT 2012, Hannover, Germany.
The display wall comprises eight MultiTaction Cell 55in modular multi-touch displays and four Microsoft Kinect 3D motion-sensing cameras. It presents a Bubblescreen application which allows an unlimited number of participants to use the 5m-long screen at any one time.
A person who passes the display is picked-up by the cameras and bubbles on the screen react by following the subject's movement, luring the target to the fully interactive interface developed by EIT ICT Labs researchers, where they can then playfully learn about the company’s activities.
“The wall is an example of how EIT ICT Labs boost European competitiveness by bringing academic research, education and business together,” said Professor Marko Turpeinen, node director EIT ICT Labs Helsinki. “Cooperation with MultiTouch has brought added value to both parties”
Co-operation between the two companies has enabled EIT ICT Labs researchers to learn more about the delivery of information in public spaces using large interactive displays all over the world.
MultiTouch, originally established by researchers from Aalto University, which is one of the core partners of EIT ICT Labs Helsinki, has sold interactive displays in over 40 countries around the world and recently launched its third-generation MultiTaction product line.
“The display array, made of stackable MultiTaction Cells, recognises unlimited touch points which means we can accommodate a very large number of users. The Bubblescreen application using Kinect was developed by EIT ICT Labs with MultiTouch Cornerstone SDK. It is a fantastic example of how by merging technologies we can create new, innovative ways for human-computer interaction,” said Hannu Anttila, wp sales of MultiTouch.
With a dancing CCTV robot opening the show on its first day, all eyes will be on Cloud technology at CeBIT 2012. IBM introduced its latest cloud-based desktop streaming service and hardware - Secure Desktop Enterprise - to allow businesses to stream desktops with minimal fuss.
Meanwhile Fujitsu has developed over 40 software applications to help business with the transition to cloud technology, and other companies following suit.
CeBIT runs until 10 March.
