Interactive surfaces - technology at your fingertips
Thursday, 16 February 2012 17:45
The use of touchscreen devices has increased dramatically in recent times, with systems that were once restricted for use in hi-tech applications now being carried around in the pockets of millions of people worldwide in the form of the latest smartphones.
This development has helped to push the boundaries of what people want to be able to do with their devices and the creation of the Wii and Kinect home computer systems took connectivity to another level, as people could now interact with their systems simply through movement.
For this development to be possible, it required the creation of hardware that could be easily integrated into devices that were small enough to fit in comfortably with the rest of the furniture people have in their living rooms. In addition, they also had to be produced at a price that made these computers affordable.
The technology has also been used in innovative ways to show how new entertainment experiences can be improved. A project carried out at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel saw the development of interactive window displays using what were dubbed 'advanced windows', which comprise of a plate of glass that is touch sensitive and capable of displaying graphics.
A range of apps were created as part of the programme and covered a wide range of different functions, from a design created for children which sees a cartoon character appear to fly over the scenery the car drives past, to an application that will provide up to date travel and weather information.
However, consideration is now being paid to how touchscreen systems can be used in a much wider range of applications, with businesses from the medical sector through to the military potentially poised to reap the benefits of this advancement in technology.
Smartphones and tablets are increasingly being adopted by medical practitioners to be used in the diagnosis of illness and monitoring of patients as a means of ensuring medication is being administered correctly.
New research by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has suggested it is possible for touchscreens to be used in the detection of biomolecular matter and even in recognising the DNA of users.
The computers are able to pick up the electronic charges that are emitted by users as they come into contact with the screen.
"It began from the idea that touch screens work by recognizing the electronic signs from the touch of the finger, and so the presence of specific proteins and DNA should be recognizable as well," said Hyun-gyu Park, one of the leaders of the research.
It was noted that there are proteins in the medical world that are looked for to diagnose conditions such as liver cancer.
While this system can help with the diagnosis of patients who come directly in contact with a device, some research is being carried out to assess how the touchscreen or motion control systems can be used in other medical procedures, such as during surgery.
By using gesture control systems, the risk of spreading disease or infection is minimised and the technology also reduces the risk of instruments becoming unsterilised after coming into contact with another object.
A system to help with combating this issue has been developed as part of a collaborative project carried out by Plextek and startup company Pneumacare.
The companies worked together on developing the use of stereoscopic techniques to measure the small deflections from a person's chest, giving clinicians the chance to monitor the lung functions of a patient without the need to be in physical contact with them.
Using such systems offers a range of benefits to the patient, who may already be in pain or distress before the procedure, as there is no need to touch or move them. It also reduces the risk of spreading infection.
In addition, it can cut the amount of equipment that has to be on hand for an accurate diagnosis. What's more many items need to be disposed of or sterilised after each use - an issue that can be avoided when non-contact diagnosis technology is used.
As these innovative steps are made and the technology becomes more commonplace across all industries, other methods of communication that are used regularly now may fall by the wayside.
Interactive surfaces are no longer being limited to purpose built devices that contain the software and circuits needed to power them. A prime example is the Omnitouch projection system, which has been developed by a team of researchers at the Microsoft Research and Carnegie Mellon University.
The system will allow for a range of surfaces, from pads of paper to walls and even the back of the user's hand, to be turned into an interactive surface.
An image will be projected on to the surface and can be manipulated through tapping or dragging in the same was as is performed on the screen of a smartphone.
With so many changes happening across the market, the applications they can have for a wide variety of people in different industries has the potential to be limitless.
Motion control systems and touchscreen devices have gone beyond simply being a method of communication or an entertainment tool and are now seen as offering a range of potential applications to a number of industries that are both highly effective and affordable.
For the industry to truly reach its potential, however, more work needs to be carried out between these different industry representatives and the companies that design the products to gain a greater understanding of how they can be of benefit and what further advancements need to be made to improve the working systems that are currently in place.
