Video: Epson's multitouch X-Desk is your next coffee table

When you think about it, it makes perfect sense for Epson to get into the touch-surface game -- most of the larger versions are projector-based, and Epson's been making great little beamers for quite some time. Showcased earlier this year at ISE 2009 alongside a multitouch air hockey table, the Core 2 Duo-powered X-Desk boasts a 1,024 x 768 resolution panel and possesses the ability to recognize up to 16,000 objects using "Smart Tags." Also of note, gesture recognition software enables users to actually speak to the table and see results, though there's no word on whether raising your voice or blurting out obscenities improves efficiency. Like all of these things, we've nary a clue when they'll really be available for the layperson to purchase, but you can certainly live vicariously by hopping past the break.

[Via AboutProjectors]

[Verified Insanity @ Apr 18th 2009 1:34AM]

Errr.... Dare I mention the Microsoft Surface?

>_>

[Brickster @ Apr 18th 2009 2:43AM]

I'm more shocked to see no comparison to the iPhone.

[Kit @ Apr 18th 2009 3:11AM]

Maybe those asses in Engadget office finally realise they are ripping off Microsoft instead of iPhone.

It's not the first time dude, Xbox NXE Flip 3D = Coverflow...

[Malweran @ Apr 18th 2009 8:08AM]

This is iPhone-like, don't you think engadget?

[TruthBringer @ Apr 18th 2009 8:57AM]

Yeah the Microsoft Surface is way cooler than this. The Surface will also, probably, be the first one to get cheap enough for consumer use.

[kcdk99 @ Apr 18th 2009 9:49AM]

Is that German? I think one of the guys in the video said "iPhone" in German... LOL

[WixosTrix @ Apr 18th 2009 2:09PM]

I think Microsoft Surface sounds way more appealing than Epson X-Desk, its so much more malifulous.

[Josh @ Apr 18th 2009 2:40PM]

Tch, it has an iPhone ON the surface in the preview picture, that should be enough for engagdet to run a story on it!

On a sidenote, this is apparently already available for order. Can you get hold of MS Surface? (i presume you can - but is there a beta users can download?)

[Manuj @ Apr 18th 2009 1:49AM]

Need this for cad and sketchup!

[KilgoreTrout @ Apr 18th 2009 3:03AM]

If you provide me with a torrent for the software I can easily build you one.

[ill trooper @ Apr 18th 2009 2:07AM]

1,024 x 768 resolution? That means those two guys are asking each other what that document actually says. "I think it's an '8.' No, it's a 'B', you were right.

Still, I'm looking forward to something like this in the future, like I am with jetpacks.

[Matthew C @ Apr 18th 2009 2:53AM]

1080p would be nice - and the ability to flip it up to be a TV.

[Yetzero @ Apr 18th 2009 2:13AM]

And once again the big innovative app of the future involves dragging and scaling pictures.

[loosely_coupled @ Apr 18th 2009 3:57PM]

HAHAH! exactly what I was going to say..

[z-man @ Apr 18th 2009 8:38PM]

people really need to start coming up with new original ideas for a multitouch screen. how about something besides moving pictures around?

[Giroro @ Apr 18th 2009 2:29AM]

1,024 x 768 resolution :\

This thing is like3 feet across!

[grabbydad @ Apr 18th 2009 2:31AM]

That's It???
Been there, done that.

[Eleazar @ Apr 18th 2009 2:37AM]

You wish

[Saad Rabia @ Apr 18th 2009 2:41AM]

Surface-Like.

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Apr 18th 2009 2:50AM]

what's with the shadowy figures in the video? Was it designed by some james bond villains or the tripredicus council?

[ctt1wbw @ Apr 18th 2009 5:10AM]

Is that the same thing that was on the movie The Day The Earth Stood Still? If so, it was one of the only redeeming values of the movie.

[loocas @ Apr 18th 2009 5:41AM]

Well, since it's not iPhone-like, it's a deal breaker then...

[oakie @ Apr 18th 2009 7:05AM]

coffee table? looks a bit tall to me at relative hip-height for the two caucazoids in the photo. at my height, it would make a nice dinner table. i could multi-touch larger portions or google up something more appetizing. and now im getting carried away and just being silly.

[superhobo @ Apr 18th 2009 7:08AM]

It's not iPhone-like...because it's got sharp corners.

[avis @ Apr 18th 2009 7:37AM]

Amazon, now you can introduce "coffee table reader"

[Fred @ Apr 18th 2009 8:45AM]

What, there's an iPhone right there in the picture, but no iPhone or iPhone-like tag on the article? Shock!

[Will @ Apr 18th 2009 9:46AM]

I'm so sick of surface computer demos that feature one and only one feature: f'ing photos. You can expand, contract, and move! Holy mother of god. There must be other apps developed, if anyone has links to a demo I'd really appreciate it. I want to convince myself that this format can be used in innovative, original ways, and multi-touch photo f'ing isn't cutting it.

[Fred @ Apr 18th 2009 11:39AM]

http://blogs.msdn.com/surface/default.aspx

Browse through the past year's worth of posts there a bit and you'll see plenty non-photo-moving applications.

[dangerdoc @ Apr 18th 2009 10:02AM]

Does anyone else find a little humor in the fact that all they have to do to save the projection TV market is turn the TV on it's back and add a couple of sensors to follow your fingers?

[robjennings @ Apr 18th 2009 6:40PM]

"Also of note, gesture recognition software enables users to actually speak to the table ..."

I don't get it. What do gesture recognition and voice commands have to do with each other? Is this just bad writing or am I missing something?

[robjennings @ Apr 18th 2009 6:45PM]

This technology, as seen in other implementations as well, could have interesting applications for collaboration in offices. Imagine a large boardroom table built with this technology. Much higher resolution and connected to your network. It would be very cool if you could pull up documents at will from the server and "pass" them to other meeting attendees. Or make quick sketches with your fingers during a brainstorming session which others can manipulate as well. I wonder what kind of money it would take to implement something like that.

[sd @ Apr 19th 2009 2:09PM]

I used one of these the other day and can honestly say they have done a pretty good job of doing a coffee table computer.

(yes it is alot like Microsoft Surface)

However, it does do exactly as it says on the tin, interacting with mobile phones, fingers, glasses, etc. all the usual coffee table stuff. It did lag at times, not enough to doubt it however, but the thing that impressed me most was how well it could handle multiple points of contact. There must of been 10-20 fingers on the display at some points however it was able to still do everything the user was trying to do and well! Near enough always without lag (obviously the times it did lag was when there was loads of things people were trying to do all at once!)

Mobile phone interaction could be very handy, works just like in Surface, place the phone down on the device, pops up with spec information, space left, all your photos appear in the background, music etc. It was also noted that it is compatible with any mobile phone via bluetooth. Didn't see it work with any phone other than what they provided however, so don't know how well that actually works. Can have more than one on it as once to obviously, which also worked really well!


Overall I was impressed with the it, had a very very good none-reflective screen that was very crisp and easy to read which is definitely a very important part of a device like this!

[notexactly @ Jul 9th 2009 4:28PM]

It also uses speech recognition to understand your hand gestures.