Why should we be conforming to a physical device to interact with the computer? Why should the interface be tied to a keyboard that comes from a typewriter keyboard designed in 1874, and a mouse concept from the 1960s and 70s? These questions are addressed in a rather dramatic way by Jeff Han. Jeff is a research scientist for New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Big hat tip to Philip Woodgate for highlighting this presentation from February 2006 if, like me, you missed it.
In the presentation Jeff Han demonstrates - for the first time publicly - his intuitive, “interface-free”, touch-driven computer screen, which can be manipulated intuitively with the fingertips, and responds to varying levels of pressure (or multi touch screen). You have to see it, and you’ll probably have the same amazed reaction as the audience. We saw something like this in Minority Report , but it’s here now. One of the key aspects is that the technology isn’t anything dramatic - it’s high resolution, low cost, very scalable, and the brilliance is in the way it has been applied. We’ll be watching for the first commercial implementation.
Update: I just found this website, which documents the latest news on Jeff Han and the multi touch screen project . Especially it will announce when you can buy it. And here is an alternate presentation of the techology:
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