Real time technology, touch tables may be in the process of changing the interactions between man and machine. Not for the general public, however, they begin to adapt to certain professionals who do not hesitate to use them.
What is it?
The tables are tactile devices to sophisticated interaction between advanced and intelligent human and machine.
Somewhat comparable to the new generation mobile phones (iPhone, BlackBerry), they have a touch screen on which the user interacts with his fingers, hands or objects. They also have software that interprets the movements, or more accurately the contacts that the user via the table surface.
Beyond the opportunity to interact with the touch surface with several fingers at the same time, some tables allow several people to use simultaneously. Others, if not the tables, are walls or windows using the same operating principle.
How it works?
Tactile tables can be developed using two distinct technologies:
• The “Diffused Illumination (DI): This technology uses multiple infrared lamps placed beneath the screen. Once the user touches the surface of the table, projectors reflect light emitted from the point of contact to an infrared camera turned to the screen. All movements made by the user are then detected and interpreted by the software built into the table.
• The “Frustrated Total Internal Reflection (FTIR) infrared LEDs are placed along the edges of a sheet of Plexiglas. With this system, the infrared radiation beam is actually confined only inside the Plexiglas plate. Therefore, since light can not “escape”, it reflects and bounces off the surface. Thus, just as before, when the user touches the table, the light emitted by the upheaval of the radiation of the LEDs is projected and redirected to a camera. The software will then take over to interpret the movements.
Why use a touch table?
The advantage
Beyond the technological contribution, touch the table can become a real value added for a professional. You can offer the customer a simple, practical and interactive for your product or service. For example, when making a purchase, in addition to the advice you give, you can talk around the table by pressing demonstrations, sound, etc.
The disadvantage
The main drawback is still obviously the price that may prove a prima facie deterrent. For the Microsoft table, called Surface, will for example 11 000 €. Prices vary depending on the model of the table, touch screens, but also depending on the applications you want to integrate software that manages and leads the interactivity of the table.
Some key features
• Large screens (30 inches) and very good graphics resolutions
• Internet connection (Ethernet, Wifi)
• Audio outputs
• detection and interaction with objects
• A 2D and 3D design
• multi user applications and multi touch
• Software adapted to the professional activities
The professional uses
For tourism
The tourism-oriented applications are the famous examples of what makes the strength of the touch table. Use in a travel agency, will allow the client to consult the job so detailed and interactive (videos, slide shows, virtual tours, pensive mood and sounds), so feel immersed in the journey. He leads something of its own tour, it’s like if there was really, otherwise create a trigger to buy.
For real estate
In a real estate agency, touch the table can complement the expertise of the professional 3D offering demonstrations to illustrate the proposed purchase. Access to the Internet from the table allows you to browse the website of the agency by accessing the same features research bids, creating an account, save interesting ads. The software can give the opportunity to again visit the house piece by piece, zoom in on photos etc.
For restoration
In restoration, touch table can view menus, pictures and food product characteristics (price, origin, ingredients) but also on order from the table. Just like the principle in bars where the customer can ask the server to provide a cocktail at their table without having to leave his place.
For the consumer
In France, a few large companies are beginning to adopt the tactile tables. Few Examples are France Telecom, Renault or the SNCF, which seek to develop specific applications that can match and adapt to their activities and objectives.
Other business sectors may be most affected by this technology in the future. This is the case of education through gaming, medicine, security or the financial sector.
In sum, we can easily see that with this technology is a customer relation, entrepreneur driven, much more lively, interesting and attractive.
July 23rd, 2009 |
