Issue 9 / February 2010 Are You Ready to Multi-Touch?
by Kate Ho,
Edinburgh University Associate
kate.ho1@gmail.com
Are You Ready
to Multi-Touch?
The way we use computers
What are multi-touch technologies? Multi-touch really excels in the case of Multi-touch is here
will soon change. Tools, such
large surfaces such as the Microsoft
Simply put, multi-touch devices are
Surface - a coffee table with a built-in
Even now, there are a number of
as the mouse and the keyboard
technologies which allow the user to
computer screen with multi-touch
multi-touch devices on the market. At the
RBS recently sponsored a competition in
will slowly disappear and be
interact with the computer using multiple
capabilities. Multiple users can sit around
smaller end of the scale, there have been
collaboration with Edinburgh University to design
points of contact. Touch screens have been an increasing number of mobile phones
replaced with tools that are
the table and interact with the same objects
around for a number of years, but they have with multi-touch capabilities; such as the
a branch based application for use on a Microsoft
more comfortable and natural.
simultaneously. The result? Collaboration
traditionally accepted single-touch inputs;
with others becomes more dynamic and
iPhone or Blackberry Storm2. Part of the
Surface Table.
The future is already here.
meaning that they are mostly designed for
much easier. For example, sales predictions
iPhone’s success is through its innovative
Driven by the popularity of the
a single user, performing one interaction
for the next financial year could be
user interface, teaching the world that a The winning entry was an Interactive Another example is Bumptop -
at a time. With multi-touch technologies, ‘pinch’ is to zoom in and out and a ‘flick’ Mortgage Guide which enabled a radical rethink of the computer
iPhone and iPod Touch, many
displayed on the Surface, and anyone
the technology can accept multiple touches
around the table could change the figures
is to scroll between screens, thereby customers to interact with dynamic desktop. Files are displayed according
hardware manufacturers have
(ranging from 5 points of contact on the
or even create new predictions for
dispensing with fiddly keys and styli pens sliders and graphs to find their ideal to their size. You can move or pile a
begun to add multi-touch
iPhone, to 52 points on the Microsoft
comparison. The focus of a meeting won’t
(if you haven’t already lost it). mortgage product. The customer can number of files together - similar to
capabilities to next-generation
Surface).
be a single presenter, instead everyone can
then use the surface table to find out a real desk. With Windows 7 and a
Windows 7 supports multi-touch devices,
electronic devices. Although
This means that users can manipulate
get involved. All the information can be
more information on the various multi-touch monitor, the user can use
prompting hardware manufacturers such
displayed on the table, which is linked to
products and view videos. their hand to move a number of files
sometimes seen as “toys”,
objects in a more natural and intuitive as HP and Dell to release monitors to take
way there isn’t any real need for a manual
the central server and you can bring up or
to the corner of the desktop, then
advantage. As mentioned, the Microsoft Other financial institutions have
they can potentially transform showing how to interact. Users can rotate, store any documents or notes from
use gestures to stack, sort or arrange
Surface is currently being deployed. looked at touch technology. First Direct
the way that businesses
zoom in, throw, and drag files and
your computer.
the files.
Barclays have a custom-made Surface launched a ‘Grand Designs’ application
interact with their customers.
documents using their fingers as if actually application on display in their Piccadilly to enable customers to use an off-set
touching the object. The computer Circus flagship branch displaying products calculator to see how much the
recognises how many fingers you have on to Premier Account holders. various ‘Grand Design’ homes
the screen at any one time and reacts to would cost them.’
that - a two-finger swipe can result in a
On the horizon, there has been a stream
different action than a three-finger swipe.
of announcements of more devices from
This becomes much more powerful when
a number of hardware manufacturers.
beginning to consider the type of actions
The numbers of devices is growing,
that could be linked to these gestures: one
and it is likely this technology will become
finger can select a single photo, two fingers
more prevalent in everyday life.
can select the next ten photos and three
fingers can select all photos.
20 / Perspectives on the future Perspectives on the future / 21
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