Microsoft demos TouchWall - bit-tech.net Forums

CardJoe · 15th May 2008, 08:23

Bill Gates demonstrated a wall-size multi-touch interface remarkably similar to Cubit at the 2008 Microsoft CEO Summit, based around infra-red lasers and a tracking camera.

Cadillac Ferd · 15th May 2008, 08:35

This reminds me of that infrared white board concept that one guy made using a wii-mote hacks. Why would MS spend time developing a system, then tout its affordability then have no plans to ever release it? I'm confused. Looks neat in any case.

DougEdey · 15th May 2008, 09:10

Article link is missing from here btw.

I'd rather try surface then Touchwall, touchwall seems similar to an interactive whiteboard

freedom810 · 15th May 2008, 09:12

Ye, if i wanted one of those id just buy a interactive whiteboard.....

squeck · 15th May 2008, 10:46

This looks almost identical to the multitouch screen which Jeff Han at NYU has pioneered and spun off into a company Perceptive Pixel. Personally I think the perceptive pixel screen looks a lot better. Theres a lot of similar stuff around at the mo and they are pretty easy to make - a simple one can be made with a sheet of acrylic, IR leds, a cheap webcam and a projector. The videos here and one of the final product here show a far more developed product than the microsoft one.

VictorianBloke · 15th May 2008, 12:04

So technically I could have a 4 foot DS?

MrMonroe · 15th May 2008, 15:17

I know how to commercialize these: (or the tabletop version for that matter)

Put it in the middle of a mall and load ten or so simple, 2-5 person multiplayer games on it. Have each game for each player cost $2 and last an average of five minutes. You'd have the thing paid off in weeks and then it would be pure profit minus the cost of the electricity for the rest of the lifespan of the machine.

Hell, I'd buy a tabletop edition for my living room for dinner parties if they made a dev kit so people could program for it.

Sebbo · 15th May 2008, 15:26

application-wise, i see this better suited to planning and development than anything else. like others have said, its basically an electronic whiteboard thats also hooked up to windows, and i can easily imagine a small group of people gathered around, arranging things in MS Project or storylining or something similar (remember that Visual Studio commercial with paper plastering the walls of the office?)

15th May 2008, 08:23	#1
CardJoe Player Character bit-tech Staff Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 8,009	Microsoft demos TouchWall Bill Gates demonstrated a wall-size multi-touch interface remarkably similar to Cubit at the 2008 Microsoft CEO Summit, based around infra-red lasers and a tracking camera. __________________ this is joe's non-bit-tech blog

15th May 2008, 09:10	#3
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	Article link is missing from here btw. I'd rather try surface then Touchwall, touchwall seems similar to an interactive whiteboard __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

15th May 2008, 09:12	#4
freedom810 Supermodder Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK, Worcestershire, Worcester Posts: 564	Ye, if i wanted one of those id just buy a interactive whiteboard..... __________________ Save My Mini city! Save my Industry!

15th May 2008, 10:46	#5
squeck Lurker Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: leics/worcs, UK Posts: 94	This looks almost identical to the multitouch screen which Jeff Han at NYU has pioneered and spun off into a company Perceptive Pixel. Personally I think the perceptive pixel screen looks a lot better. Theres a lot of similar stuff around at the mo and they are pretty easy to make - a simple one can be made with a sheet of acrylic, IR leds, a cheap webcam and a projector. The videos here and one of the final product here show a far more developed product than the microsoft one. __________________ [aurelia] 3.6Ghz P4 @ 4.0Ghz, 3GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2, ASUS P5ND2 Sli M/B, 400GB hd, Geforce 8800GTX and Aquacomputer WC gear. My site

15th May 2008, 12:04	#6
VictorianBloke Multimodder Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 203	So technically I could have a 4 foot DS? __________________ X2 5000+BE @3.1 \| GA-M57SLI \| 8800GTS 320 613/1500/1900 \| 2GB OCZ 4-4-4-12-1T \| Corsair HX620 \| Lian-Li PC-A16B

15th May 2008, 08:35	#2
Cadillac Ferd Multimodder Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Maaaaryland, USA Posts: 219	This reminds me of that infrared white board concept that one guy made using a wii-mote hacks. Why would MS spend time developing a system, then tout its affordability then have no plans to ever release it? I'm confused. Looks neat in any case.

15th May 2008, 15:17	#7
MrMonroe Multimodder Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 195	I know how to commercialize these: (or the tabletop version for that matter) Put it in the middle of a mall and load ten or so simple, 2-5 person multiplayer games on it. Have each game for each player cost $2 and last an average of five minutes. You'd have the thing paid off in weeks and then it would be pure profit minus the cost of the electricity for the rest of the lifespan of the machine. Hell, I'd buy a tabletop edition for my living room for dinner parties if they made a dev kit so people could program for it.

15th May 2008, 15:26	#8
Sebbo Multimodder Join Date: May 2006 Location: Brissy, Australia Posts: 177	application-wise, i see this better suited to planning and development than anything else. like others have said, its basically an electronic whiteboard thats also hooked up to windows, and i can easily imagine a small group of people gathered around, arranging things in MS Project or storylining or something similar (remember that Visual Studio commercial with paper plastering the walls of the office?) __________________ If you and dead people know hex, how many people know hex? Obligitory PC spec's: Intel Core i7 920, ASUS P6T Deluxe, 12GB Corsair Dominator PC-12800, Sapphire HD5870, WD Velociraptor 300GB HLFS, Samsung Spinpoint 1TB, Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro, Logitech G15 and G9, Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers, Dell 2408WFP 24" monitor