Issue 9 / February 2010 Are You Ready to Multi-Touch?
About
Large multi-touch surfaces could
Research & Innovations
offer a more interactive focal point
Provide a range of research and proof
to facilitate discussions between
of concept services to:
advisers and customers
• Inform business leaders on the external environment,
emerging technologies and industry best practice
(largely technology related)
• Generate ideas, build proofs of concept and provide
expert input to solve thorny problems
The Future Interface? Rethinking Customer Interaction? Considerations and Constraints
While multi-touch technologies and In a banking context technologies such However, there are some considerations
Research & Innovations Services
Matched with the right
gestural based interfaces can offer as large multi-touch surfaces could offer before we are ready for a multi-touch world.
1. Technology and Futures 4. Publishing
significant advantages and more natural a more interactive focal point to facilitate For instance, multiple users touching the application, and designed
Research
ways of interacting with computers, discussions between advisers and same screen in public spaces can raise
Our publications deliver thought
the humble keyboard and mouse won’t customers; offering the benefits of hygiene concerns. Although these concerns
in the right way, multi-touch
We conduct exploratory research leadership and technology insight
disappear over-night. In fact many everyday up-to-date information and the space to afflict the traditional keyboard as well,
technologies can offernew
on key technology related research to our executives. They include
tasks will be better suited to the keyboard - compare different options. Advisers could the latter is relatively cheap to replace; themes, supply information in our “Perspectives on the future”
writing emails, editing documents and access the latest rates, show multiple touch-screens are not.
ways for businesses to
response to specific research periodical, monthly Business
data entry. products, and tweak calculations to suit
In addition, in the case of large
interact with their customers. requests and provide access to a Intelligence Digest and research /
the customer’s individual needs with
Touch technology is more likely to transform multi-touch surfaces, privacy issues may
range of information sources and technology outlook papers.
customers joining in.
areas where text input is less important: prohibit certain types of information being
external subject matter experts.
5. Consultancy
presenting or visualising data, selecting Away from the branch, multi-touch displayed, or particularly sensitive tasks
2. Vendor Engagement
multiple files or objects in one go, rotating monitors could enable a more intuitive to be performed – e.g. entering PINs on
Our small consultancy team provides
and zooming in to documents. Multi-touch interface for web-based transactions such the Surface.
We work with our strategic partners expert support and problem solving
technologies could also be combined with as online banking. Transferring money
to generate insight and ideas and to skills across Group Manufacturing
voice-based interfaces to provide a between accounts could be as easy as
Lastly, depending on the form factor
solicit potential solutions to specific and the businesses to help solve
powerful multi-modal user experience. dragging money from one icon to another -
(i.e. the size and the weight of the physical
business challenges. thorny problems, find the best
Apple has been working on new multi-touch with the number of fingers used as an
device), only certain types of gestures can
solutions and influence the adoption
technology that combines touch interfaces indication of how much money is to be
be used. Four or five finger gestures would
3. Proof-of-Concept Service
of the correct architectural approach.
with input from the camera and the transferred (e.g. 2 finger drag for £20,
be impractical in the context of an iPhone,
Using both our in-house lab
microphone. For example using voice 3 fingers for £30). Customers could ‘pinch
compared to large surfaces. One implication
and support from vendors, we
commands will allow you to select text in and zoom’ into an account to see their
is that custom versions of the same
demonstrate the art of the possible
the iPhone, voice the copy & paste bank statements and ‘flick’ between
software application might have to be
by building proofs of concept and
commands to move documents. The most their statements to view. Whilst this might
built for different display screen sizes.
prototypes.
intriguing part, however, is the use of a seem like a gimmick at first, it can have In the same way that the mouse and
camera in laptops and desktops. To start important implications. It offers a more

graphical interfaces made computers
with, the entire keyboard can become a natural interface to those that are less easier to use and kick-started the
gesture control pad without even having to technologically savvy. For the digital natives, personal computer revolution, multi-touch
Recent Issues
touch the surface. In addition, it can be it offers a service which takes full advantage technologies can offer the next wave of
combined with actual touch technology of the technology capabilities of their innovation. Matched with the right
to identify single fingers on the surface, phones, netbooks and desktop machines. application, and designed in the right way,
with the possibility of assigning specific This group will expect future-looking multi-touch technologies can offer new
functions to them. The system could even organisations to have gesture interface ways for businesses to interact with their
combine all this with force sensors, so the capabilities. customers.
touch action can generate secondary data.
An example may be applying a deformation
effect to an image or a sound effect to a
music track, giving it more or less strength
Since completing her PhD in Requirements Engineering
depending on the force of the action
or gesture.
at Edinburgh University, Kate has established Interface3,
a business specialising in designing and developing
Issue 6 Issue 7 Issue 8
software for next-generation multitouch devices.
February 09 May 09 September 09
Contact Us:
Brigid Whoriskey
Head of Research & Innovations
Brigid.Whoriskey@rbs.co.uk
22 / Perspectives on the future
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