Surface computing: Difference between revisions

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'''Surface computing''' is the use of a specialized [[computer]] [[GUI]] in which traditional GUI elements are replaced by intuitive, everyday objects. Instead of a [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]] and [[Mouse (computing)|mouse]], the user interacts with a surface. Typically the surface is a [[touchscreen|touch-sensitive screen]], though other surface types like non-flat three-dimensional objects have been implemented as well. It has been said that this more closely replicates the familiar hands-on experience of everyday object manipulation.<ref>[http://what-is-what.com/what_is/microsoft_surface.html{{Cite web |title=What is the Microsoft Surface? - What the Microsoft Surface computer is, and how it works]. |url=https://what-is-what.com/what_is/microsoft_surface.html |access-date=2022-09-22 |website=what-is-what.com}}</ref><ref>[http{{Cite web |last=Zibreg |first=Christian |date=2008-05-07 |title=Teenager Creates First OS X Multi-touch Table |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/apple-multitouch-laptop,5309.html Teenager|access-date=2022-09-22 Creates|website=Tom's FirstHardware OS X Multi-touch Table]|language=en}}</ref>

Early work in this area was done at the [[University of Toronto]], Alias Research, and MIT.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buxton |first=Bill |date=2007-01-12 |title=Multi-Touch Systems that I Have Known and Loved |url=http://www.billbuxton.com/multitouchOverview.html |access-date=2022-09-22 |website=www.billbuxton.com}}</ref> Surface work has included customized solutions from vendors such as [http://LM3LABS.com LM3LABS] or GestureTek, Applied Minds for [[Northrop Grumman]].<ref>[http://www.is.northropgrumman.com/products/touchtable/index.html Applied Minds & Northrop Grumman]</ref> Major computer vendor platforms are in various stages of release: the iTable by PQLabs,<ref>[http://multi-touch-screen.net/ PQLabs]</ref> [[Linux MPX]],<ref>[{{Cite web |date=2007-07-16 |title=Linux MPX Multi-touch Table May Become Alternative Microsoft Surface |url=https://gizmodo.com/gadgets/touch-me/linux-mpx-multi+-touch-table-may-become-freealternative-diymicr-microsoft278613 |access-surfacedate=2022-one09-day-278613.php22 Linux|website=Gizmodo MPX Multitouch]|language=en-us}}</ref> the [[Ideum]] [[MT-50 Multitouch Table|MT-50]], interactive bar by spinTOUCH, and [[Pixelsense|Microsoft PixelSense]] (formerly known as Microsoft Surface).

== Surface types ==

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=== Flat ===

Flat surface types refer to two-dimensional surfaces such as tabletops. This is the most common form of surface computing in the commercial space as seen by products like Microsoft's PixelSense and iTable. The aforementioned commercial products utilize a multi-touch LCD screen as a display, but other implementations use projectors. Part of the appeal of two-dimensional surface computing is the ease and reliability of interaction. Since the advent of tablet computing, a set of intuitive gestural interactions have been developed to complimentcomplement two-dimensional surfaces. However, the two-dimensional plane limits the range of interactions a user is able to perform. Furthermore, interactions are only detected when making direct contact with the surface. In order to afford the user a wider range of interaction, research has been done to augment the interaction schemes for two-dimensional surfaces. This research involves using the space above the screen as another dimension for interaction, so, for example, the height of a user's hands above the surface becomes a meaningful distinction for interaction. This particular system would qualify as a hybrid that uses a flat surface, but a three-dimensional space for interaction.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/132463/hilliges2009uist.pdf|title = Interaction in the Air: Adding Further Depth to Interactive Tabletops|date = 4 October 2009|accessdate = |website = |publisher = |last = |first = | pages=139–148 }}</ref>

=== Non-flat ===

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==Interaction methods==

Various methods of interaction exist in surface computing. The most common method of which is touch based, this includes single and [[multi-touch]] interactions. Other interactions exist such as freehand [[3D interactionsinteraction]]s that depth-aware cameras can sense.

•'''Two Dimensional''' Typically, traditional surface types are two-dimensional and only require two-dimensional touch interactions. Depending on the system, multi-touch gestures, such as [[pinch to zoom]], are supported. These gestures allow the user to manipulate what they see on the surface by physically touching it and moving their fingers across the surface. For sufficiently large surfaces, multi-touch gestures can extend to both hands, and even multiple sets of hands in multi-user applications.

•'''Three Dimensional''' Using depth aware cameras it is possible to make three dimensional gestures. Such gestures allow the user to move in three dimensions of space without having to come into contact with the surface itself, such as the methods used in [[DepthTouchDepth perception]].<ref name=":1">[http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/benko/publications/{{Cite journal |last=Benko |first=Hrvoje |date=2009/benko_mm09bnt236.pdf-08-05 |title=Beyond Flat Surface Computing: Challenges of Depth-Aware and Curved Interfaces] |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/beyond-flat-surface-computing-challenges-depth-aware-curved-interfaces/ |language=en-US}}</ref> DepthTouch makes use of a depth-sensing camera, a projector, desktop computer, and a vertical screen for the user to interact with. Instead of physically touching the screen, the user can manipulate the objects he or she sees displayed onto it by making freehand gestures in mid-air. The depth-aware camera can then detect the user's gestures and the computer processes them to show what the user is doing on the display.

==Applications==

Surface computing is used in both research and commercial use. It is more widely known commercially in products such as the [[iPad]]. Although tablets like the iPad are among the most common types of surface computing other implementations exist, such as HP's [[Sprout (computer)|Sprout]] computer. In research, surface computing has been used to help develop gestures for tabletop implementations.<ref>[{{Cite web |last=Wobbrock |first=Jacob O. |last2=Ringel Morris |first2=Meredith |title=User-Defined Gestures for Surface Computing |url=https://faculty.washington.edu/wobbrock/pubs/chi-09.02.pdf User-Defined Gestures for Surface Computing]}}</ref> Additionally, the exploration of other surface types has been done to help bring surface computing to many other surface types, like curved and spherical surfaces.

==See also==

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* [http://ruetersward.com/biblio.html Annotated Bibliography of References to Gestures, Touchscreens, and Pen Computing]

[[Category:Graphical user interfaces]]

[[Category:Surface computing| ]]

[[Category:Graphical user interfaces]]