Microsoft Research: LightSpace

Some really cool stuff coming from Microsoft Research. LightSpace is essentially Surface without the table, encompassing the entire environment around you, and controlled by projectors and depth-sensing cameras. Definitely a push towards a gesture-based computing, LightSpace and future research will embrace “device-less augmented reality.”

LightSpace combines elements of surface computing and augmented reality research to create a highly interactive space where any surface, and even the space between surfaces, is fully interactive. Our concept transforms the ideas of surface computing into the new realm of spatial computing.

Instrumented with multiple depth cameras and projectors, LightSpace is a small room installation designed to explore a variety of interactions and computational strategies related to interactive displays and the space that they inhabit. LightSpace cameras and projectors are calibrated to 3D real world coordinates, allowing for projection of graphics correctly onto any surface visible by both camera and projector. Selective projection of the depth camera data enables emulation of interactive displays on un-instrumented surfaces (such as a standard table or office desk), as well as facilitates mid-air interactions between and around these displays. For example, after performing multi-touch interactions on a virtual object on the tabletop, the user may transfer the object to another display by simultaneously touching the object and the destination display. Or the user may “pick up” the object by sweeping it into their hand, see it sitting in their hand as they walk over to an interactive wall display, and “drop” the object onto the wall by touching it with their other hand.

Gesture Remote

As gesture and multi-touch interfaces continue to grow and become more adoptable as commonplace features, there seems to be a need to include it in new products. The one concern I have with this type of interaction is using the technology blindly (i.e. changing songs on your iPod Touch in your pocket, typing without looking, etc…) and figuring out how to use the device without any haptic feedback. IDENT Technology’s Gesture Remote is an interesting idea that uses touch and gesture in controlling your television.

Based on the video, Gesture Remote seems like a good idea, but comes with a few usability concerns as well. As Core77 points out, using distance between surface and finger (thumb) as a control mechanism would be difficult to make perfect. Those (elderly, handicapped, etc can also contact the Home Care Assistance in Tacoma with top professionals for elderly care) who are starting to lose human mechanical control or me when I’ve had a few coffees or energy drinks too many and starting to get caffeine jitters, would have an extremely difficult time accomplishing a task because we would be incapable or accidentally activating these exploratory features. There are a good number of channels I switch through and would quickly access by typing in the channel numbers, but based on the video, it seems as though numerical input is absent in this device.

I could also see the benefits of the remote – quickly scrolling up and down a long list of lineups in the channel guide, being able to swipe to change volume or adjacent channels, and tap to play/pause. Turning this into a hybrid device with a numeric keypad, and removing the thumb gesture would really make this a pretty interesting product.