SolidSmack - Latest Comments in Is Jeff Han’s multi-touch in cahoots with Microsoft Surface?

Re: Is Jeff Han’s multi-touch in cahoots with Microsoft Surface?

weewilly — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:10:03 -0000

Hi Josh,
Well as far as that screen size goes I like it. Not having the same good eyesight that I had in the last millenium, bigger is better for me. No beer holder and I can see many things placed on that table top that would reduce the viewable screen size back down to what I am using right now. It does double as a nice table however. I think I still would like my screen in a vertical alignment with my normal working plane. It would be a hard sell for something other than a novelty. I like the way it did things really easy like. Big advantage there. Was SolidWorks used to help design this device???

Re: Is Jeff Han’s multi-touch in cahoots with Microsoft Surface?

Josh — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 08:10:09 -0000

hopefully with some advances in other technology we won't have to work at stuff for hours. wouldn't that be nice :) maybe getting to the point where we're just sitting there thinking or twitching and it's happening, twitch-touch, but that would be kinda lame...no interaction, and no one could tell if your having a siezure.

Re: Is Jeff Han’s multi-touch in cahoots with Microsoft Surface?

matt — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:43:48 -0000

In order to work at one for hours, it would need to be in the position of most people's keyboards, extended back over your lap, and at about a 30 deg angle with some way to support your forearms or elbows.

Anyway, it has been a long time coming. We've got to get on it if the Star Trek Next Generation prophecies are to come true. (Microsoft ultimately stole the idea from Gene Roddenberry).

Re: Is Jeff Han’s multi-touch in cahoots with Microsoft Surface?

Josh — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:51:51 -0000

A table does seemed constrained, but maybe the fluidity of the functionality will overcome that. and it makes sense in how they show it being used with other devices.

Having one slanted like the Han's at TED seems the best compromise, or maybe just having it adjustbale between upright and flat, so you can use it as a TV or as table.

awesome.

Re: Is Jeff Han’s multi-touch in cahoots with Microsoft Surface?

matt — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:32:59 -0000

Jeff Han's device has been shown nearly horizontal, in the Ted video, in addition to vertical. I think in the end, working at a flat table is too constrained. MS did that for specific kiosk applications, not for personal use.

Personally, I would see this as a nice add-in to a Lazy Boy, where the display swings in like a wing desk. You're going to need a way to support your elbows, and I think the best combination will be to have it tilted at a nearly horizontal angle, say 10-30 degrees with some arm rests.

An obvious next step is to use it as a portable wireless interface which can connect with any available processor, like if you just detached the display from a laptop and carried that around. If you ever read the Ender's Game series, this is pretty much how computers worked in those books.