MultiTouchTable
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Ideum's MT65 Presenter: a $17,500, 65-inch, multi-touch display for your own museum
Ideum's 65-inch MT65 Presenter is a multi-touch 3D display designed for public spaces, so large that Surface 2.0's looking a bit sheepish right now. The aforementioned tempered-glass mega-screen has a sensor that'll identify 32 individual points of touch (to think: we thought five-and-ten finger touch was impressive) and a PC with a 2.2GHz Core i7 CPU, 256GB SSD and GeForce GTX 460 nestled inside the four-inch "vandal proof" aluminum frame. There's also a Carl Zeiss-lensed HD webcam with a stereo microphone for those moments when you want to see your beloved's face in eye-popping detail. Today's release of the unit is running Windows 7, but the company has announced that in March you'll also be able to get Linux editions of this and its MT55 Platform unit too. The $17,500 you'll spend also gets you access to the GestureWorks SDK for rolling-your-own tactile apps: museum curators with some budget to blow should head on past the break to read the PR before working out how to justify having one in your office to your boss.
ExoPC's 40-inch multitouch EXOdesk is coming in 2012 for $1,299 (video)
We haven't even made it to Black Friday yet, and already we're getting a taste of the futuristic swag that'll be on display at CES in January. Over the weekend, ExoPC posted a video teasing a multitouch surface called the EXOdesk, promising more details when the show kicks off after the new year. The desk measures 40 inches (make that "40 high-definition inches") and, as you'd expect, supports a smorgasboard of multi-fingered gestures. The entire teaser lasts less than a minute, but you don't need more than a few seconds to realize this isn't the same UI we reviewed with the ExoPC Slate. So far, we noticed you can run apps at full-screen and swipe widgets to chuck 'em out of sight. You can also swipe the corner with four fingers to reveal what appears to be an RSS feed, and then swipe individual items to make them disappear. That's all we know about how it works, though the company did reveal it'll go on sale next year for $1,299 -- a fraction of the $8,400 you'll pay for the new Samsung SUR40 running Microsoft Surface. We'll be keeping an eye out for this when we stake out CES in January, but until then, we've got the teaser vid tucked after the break. [Thanks, Trevor]
New York Times envisions Microsoft Surface kitchen table, just don't spill your OJ (video)
Long since gone are the days of sitting at the breakfast table, drinking a cup of coffee and sharing the Sunday paper... or are they? The New York Time's R&D Lab is developing a "kitchen table" based-on Microsoft Surface touchscreen technology, designed to take individuals that are normally face down in their iPads, back to the table for a more social way to consume and share content. The display gives multiple readers the opportunity to sit at the table and interact, with options to share across the surface by swiveling and enlarging images or articles. The Times envisions that it will also be a mode of discovery, where users could get more information on a certain product by placing it on the table to find prices and related NYT articles, which could also an interesting method for advertising -- just be careful where you put that Starbucks cup.
Ideum's MT-55 'Platform' multitouch table goes ultrathin, demands but $18,000
It's been a hot minute since we've heard from the fine folks at Ideum, but when the image above floated into our inbox... well, it's safe to say our interest was piqued. We last heard from these guys back in the fall of 2009, and while The Platform is certainly a bit smaller than the 100-inch MT-50 that came before it, it's also a heck of a lot more practical for average consumers. Well, save for the price. Looking beyond that for a moment, you'll find a devilishly thin (3-inches) table, complete with 55-inches of 1080p gorgeousness, a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 178-degree viewing angle and support for a 64-bit copy of Windows 7 Professional. The internal computer includes a dual-core Core i5 CPU (2.66GHz), 8GB of memory and a 128GB SSD; you'll also find WiFi, Bluetooth and a slew of "hidden ports." The entire thing is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum, and it supports a total of 32 touch points. We'll leave it to you to discover what it'll be used for in your future abode, but if you've got the $17,950 to take one home, you've probably got the brains to figure it out.
Project MGS table reads your iPhone's media, gets you hands-on (video)
We know what you're thinking -- an iPhone interfacing with a Surface? The gods must be crazy. Well, it isn't and they're not, so relax. This custom-built, multitouch table of Apple interactivity comes from Computer Science undergrads Artem Vovk and Shuo Yang at the Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany. Aptly titled Project MGS (Media Gathering System), the system enables wireless transfer of your iPhone's media to the infrared camera-equipped tabletop for some Java-based, gesture controlling fun. How does it know the phone's on there? Simple -- the table locates a barcode affixed to the back of your device and, after that, it's just you and all the pinch-zooming, media-playing mayhem you can muster up. The project also supports file transfers between iOS devices, a feature destined for display in future videos. For now, the tech only plays nice with Apple-flavored mobile devices, but the pair promises it can easily make way for future Android connectivity. Hit the break for the full demonstration and its folksy backing track. [Thanks, Shuo]
Ideum releases MT55 HD multitouch table for hands-on museum-goers (video)
Ideum has taken the wraps off the latest addition to its growing family of multitouch tables, with the release of the MT55. The table, originally announced late last month, boasts a handsome 55-inch LCD display, which beams LED-backlit graphics in 1920×1080 HD resolution. As with its predecessors, the MT55's screen comes coated with a 5-mm layer of sturdy, tempered glass, and sits atop a pedestal made of aluminum and steel. Within that pedestal lurks an Intel Quad Core i7 CPU, with 4GB of RAM, a pair of 250GB SATA hard drives, and an NVIDIA Quadro 600 video card. The system runs Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, and comes packed with GestureWorks multitouch software for both Flash and Flex. The MT55 also features an integrated Bose Audio system, and can support up to 32 simultaneous touchpoints -- not quite as many as the 50 that its 100-inch counterpart can handle, but definitely enough to enthrall any class of 4th-graders on a field trip to the museum. Stroll on past the break to see the full press release and a video of the MT55 in action.
Microsoft lands its largest ever Surface order... from a karaoke bar (update: new video)
There's not much to see right now, but it appears that Red MR is well on its way to becoming one of the most advanced (and probably the most amusing) karaoke bars in the world. Ahead of its Hong Kong debut this Saturday, said company has already installed six Surfaces in its two bars, and is aiming to fit more to fill up all 80 rooms -- and that number could go up to 300 in the near future -- once Microsoft has ramped up production. With Red MR's customized software (still under wraps), customers will be able to pick songs, order food, watch TV, and play games on the Surface while listening to a drunk rendition of My Heart Will Go On. Oh, and there'll also be a few Kinects dotted around the bars, but it's not exactly clear whether they'll be in the rooms as well. Anyhow, we'll be flying out to Hong Kong to check it out later this week, so stay tuned. For now, you can watch a demo of the Surface's Liar's Dice game after the break. Update: Our friends over at M.I.C Gadget found a video from Apple Daily that teases the karaoke UI. Have a look after the jump.
Sectra virtual autopsy table available now, Stan Brakhage nonplussed
Though not offering the sort of stark, terrible beauty (or the gore) of The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes, Sectra's Visual Imaging Table will let you perform a "virtual autopsy," by using CT and MRI scans to place 3D recreations of a patient's body on a large, multitouch table. What's more, the body can then be examined -- and even cut with a "virtual knife." And it's finally available "to the masses," as one company rep put it in an email this morning (although we sort of figure that if you have an MRI machine you probably aren't one of "the masses"). Check out the PR after the break, or hit up the source link to get one for yourself.
iPhone table connector project gets a demo video
What's better than an iPhone, or even an iPad for that matter? How about a table with full multi-touch capabilities that just requires a simple cable connection from your iPhone? That's exactly what the guys at Table.Connect (their website isn't currently up and running) are demonstrating in the video on the next page. The heck with Microsoft's $12,500 Surface, a similar table with touch capabilities -- this is something that a lot of iOS fans will eat up. There's no word on availability or pricing yet.
Hyundai IT shows off 70-inch multitouch table concept
There's not a ton of details on this one just yet, but Hyundai IT is reportedly showing off this 70-inch multitouch table at the Korea Electronics Show this week -- in concept form, at least. While there's no specs -- apart from the fact that it's "HD" -- Hyundai is apparently saying that you'd be able to use the display either as a Surface-like multitouch table or as a TV, although it's not clear if that means it actually tilts up. Contrary to appearances, however, the table apparently doesn't function as a phone. Here's hoping Hyundai will actually show it off in action once the show gets underway.
Multitouch DJ table lets you swipe to rock
We just recently got a glimpse of one possible future of DJing, but our world has now already been turned upside down once again with this multitouch-enabled rig built by Gregory Kaufman. The big difference with this one, as you can probably guess, is that it employs a gesture-based interface that lets you spin the virtual turntables and use a variety of taps and finger swipes to replicate the main functions of a regular DJ deck. What's more, Kaufman says that the only gear a DJ would have to carry is a USB drive with their own music and settings, which they'd simply plug into the multitouch table at a club -- assuming the idea catches on, that is. Top top things off, the system would also be able to accommodate regular DJ gear for some added flexibility, and even provide enough room for two DJs if you're looking to battle or share the stage. Head on past the break to check it out in action.
Settlers of Catan in development for Microsoft Surface, still can't help you trade sheep for wood (video)
It's a pretty well-known fact that The Settlers of Catan / Die Siedler von Catan is fantastic fun, and though the original board game has seen a few digital incarnations, all the cutthroat hexagonal colonization sim ever really needed was a giant screen with multitouch. MayFair Games let Vectorform build this version for Microsoft Surface, which is on display at the Origin Games Fair this week; CNET reports the final version will be available this August. Good luck finding enough resources to trade for the table to play it on. Video after the break, more details at our source links.
Ideum unveils new and improved MT-50 multitouch table
Ideum's original MT2 multitouch table was certainly impressive enough for early 2009, but the company already followed it up with an updated MT-50 model in August of last year, and it's just now taken the wraps off some further, fairly significant improvements to that model. It's still a DLP projector-based system with a 50-inch screen, but the PC at the heart of the table has been upgraded to a quad-core rig with GeForce GTX 285 graphics and, just as importantly, the number of points-of-touch has been increased to sixty, making it an even more attractive option for places like museums. As before, the table also boasts a nigh indestructible tempered glass surface, which has definitely been put to the test. See for yourself in the video after the break.
NVTouch Surface Computer gets you into the multitouch table game for a scant $70k
Want to get all multitouchy with a large-screened table without buying into the Microsoft Surface ecosystem? Are you independently wealthy and a bit of a bring-your-own-x nerd type? Oh, good. The folks at NVision Solutions and Intuilab have teamed up to build the "durable" rear projection NVTouch Surface Computer, which retails for around $70,000. The unit is built around off-the-shelf components like a projector, desktop PC and standard video card, and can be upgraded and customized by NVision or the buyer. Obviously this is centered around commercial applications where buyers are going to be building highly custom apps, but Intuilab has some pretty great concept apps already built for the table as a bit of a jumping off point.
Touchy Remix is the multitouch table you could actually use
Remember when those Microsoft Surface-based tables were all the rage? Yeah, those were the days. Fast forward to today, and you'll probably realize that those things never really took off save for the in luxury yacht market, and while cost was obviously a problem, the overall design never really helped, either. You see, most of the ones we saw were in the shape of a box, which made them exceedingly difficult to sit at and use for an extended period of time. The Touchy Remix, however, solves that issue entirely and creates an alternative that can easily be used by multiple persons who are seated comfortably. German artist Janis Pönisch is responsible for the design here, and the fiberglass shell ensures that the whole thing remains nimble and easy to relocate. There's no mention of a mass commercialization date, but here's hoping this thing hits our local Pottery Barn on the double -- multi-player, multitouch Galaga, anyone? Update: Turns out these things are already out and about, with one particular tipster noting that they have a few in his London-based running Vortex software. Update II: SOCO, the Amsterdam-based creator, pinged us with a few more details. Currently, IntactLab is the only distributor (though more are hopefully on the way), and the unit ships with OS X (or Windows 7, if you prefer) loaded on. Multitouch software is provided by IntactLab, and the aforesaid bar added on their own additional software for that given scenario. You can find a product specification sheet here (warning: PDF). %Gallery-85114%
Virtual Autopsy Table brings multitouch to the morgue
Ever wonder what the insides of a human being really look like but lacked the grit or credentials to watch an autopsy in the flesh? Well, whatever the reasons, we can all probably agree this is one of the best uses for a multitouch table surface ever. The Virtual Autopsy Table (developed by Norrköping Visualization Centre and the Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization in Sweden) makes use of high resolution MRIs, rendered and processed into 3D images which are then accessible in the table itself. The results are super impressive and educational -- not to mention the fact that there's no actual cutting involved! The autopsy table was obviously developed with educational purposes in mind, and we wouldn't be surprised to see these cropping up in museums all over the globe any day now. Check out the truly riveting video after the break.
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]
Reactable multitouch table / musical instrument goes into production
This so-called Reactable built by some researchers at Pompeu Fabra University has been making the rounds of trade shows and other events for quite a while now, but it looks like the group is now really getting their act together by forming a company (Reactable Systems) and putting the device into production. The table itself is not too dissimilar from some of the other multitouch tables out there, but it takes a slightly different tact by focusing primarily on the device's potential as a musical instrument. To make things even simpler for the users, the table makes use of a series of "pucks" that each control a different aspect of the system, and are able to interact with each other when they're in close proximity. No word on a price or actual release date just yet, as you might expect, but you can check it out in action in the video after the break.[Via MusicRadar]
Struktable multitouch table is as fun to use as it is to say
Sure, you can make a multi-touch table out of just about anything these days, but it still always pretty impressive when a project comes together as nicely as this so-called Struktable multi-touch surface built by the folks at Struk Design Studio. Like some other rigs, this one relies on the FTIR (or frustrated total internal reflection) effect, which makes use of some infrared LEDs placed around the edge of the display, and a mirror and a short-throw projector to actually display the image on the surface. As you can see in the video after the break, that works remarkably well, with the table able to support up to eight simultaneous users and "unlimited finger touches" at the same time (we'll let you do the math there). What's more, while the table is one of a kind at the moment, the folks at Struk are more than happy to build more if the price is right, or simply rent out the one they have if you're on a bit more of a budget.[Thanks, Thomas H]
Ideum MT2 multitouch table surfaces, looks to replace museum curators
Ideum designs has unveiled a multitouch table targeted specifically for the museum crowd. The MT2 Table is composed of aircraft-grade aluminum and sports a 50-inch tempered glass widescreen display with 1280 x 720 resolution and 2000:1 contrast ratio -- that's a good deal larger than Microsoft Surface and its 30-inch screen. The DLP-based projector system has 2100 ANSI brightness and a 3,000-hour bulb life. Tactile response is measured via dual-camera IR system, and the whole thing is powered by a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB, 4GB RAM, 1250GB HDD, and Windows XP. Each table comes bundled with Swedish-based Natural User Interface's Snowflake software and lets you create your own apps using Flash, Java, Python, and C/C++/C#. According to the press release, the first owners will be the Don Harrington Discovery Center in Amarillo, Texas and Vulcan Park and Museum in Birmingham, Alabama -- doesn't look like they're vying for the coveted DJ Roker demographic. Video of the table in action embedded after the break.[Via slashgear; thanks, Chris]
