Forget multi-display, think multi-surface! Ubi has just launched software that can turn any surface into a 3D multitouchscreen by making use of Microsoft’s Kinect sensor.
Ubi’s software makes it possible to interact with a display on a wall as if it is a touchscreen.
The technology works by placing a Kinect sensor midway between the projector and the surface, such as a wall or table.
Ubi’s software analyses the images captured by the sensor to detect the position of the user’s hands or fingers in the 3D space.
This allows it to precisely determine if the user is in contact with the display and respond to touch gestures.
The Kinect sensor can be placed anywhere in front of the display as long as the intended surface area is visible to the sensor.
Ubi’s interpretation engine analyses the movement of a user’s fingertips or hand and can detect up to 20 touch points.
A touch point for future human collaboration
“It is our goal to make the world a more interactive place,” Anup Chathoth, co-founder and CEO of Ubi Interactive explained in the Kinect for Windows blog.
“We want human collaboration and information to be just one finger touch away, no matter where you are. By making it possible to turn any surface into a touchscreen, we eliminate the need for screen hardware and thereby reduce the cost and extend the possibilities of enabling interactive displays in places where they were not previously feasible – such as on walls in public spaces.
“Our technology has implications of revolutionising the way people live their lives on a global level,” Chathoth said.
The price of Ubi’s software ranges from US$149 up to US$1,499 depending on the number of touch points, the display area and support and service. After private beta evaluation with more than 50 organisations, the Ubi software is now available for ordering at ubi-interactive.com.
The basic product at US$149 covers a display area of 45 inches, while the enterprise version, which has 20 touch points and covers a display area of 100 inches, costs US$1,499.
