Surface computing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:41, 23 April 2015

Revision as of 06:58, 24 April 2015

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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 compliment 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 = |accessdate = |website = |publisher = |last = |first = }}</ref>

=== Non-Flat ===

While most work with Surface Computing has been done with flat surfaces, non-flat surfaces have become an interest with researchers. The eventual goal of Surface Computing itself is tied to the notion of [[Ubiquitous Computing]] “where everyday surfaces in our environment are made interactive”.<ref name=":1" /> These everyday surfaces are often non-flat, so researchers have begun exploring curved and three-dimensional modes. Some of these include spherical, cylindrical and parabolic surfaces. Including a third dimension to Surface Computing presents both benefits and challenges. One of these benefits is an extra dimension of interaction. Unlike flat surfaces, three dimensional surfaces allow for a sense of depth and are thus classified as “depth-aware” surfaces. This allows for more diverse gestural interactions. However, one of the main challenges   is designing intuitive gestural actions to facilitate interaction with these non-flat surfaces. Furthermore, three dimensional shapes such as spheres and cylinders require viewing from all angles, also known as Omnidirectional displays. Designing compelling views from every angle is a difficult task, as is designing applications that make sense for these display types.<ref name=":1" />

==Technological Components==

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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 interactions 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 [[DepthTouch]].<ref name=":1">[http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/benko/publications/2009/benko_mm09bnt236.pdf Beyond Flat Surface Computing: Challenges of Depth-Aware and Curved Interfaces]</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.