Thursday, December 02, 2010

The computer, monitor and desk merge in BendDesk

benddesk.jpg

   Researchers from Aachen University's Media Computing Group have created a computer workstation where the desk and screen are transformed into one multi-touch display. The display is curved at the middle and uses infrared emitters and cameras to track user movement over the whole of the surface, which has its graphical user interface beamed onto it by a couple of short throw projectors hidden within its wooden frame.

Those who spend much of their working lives at a computer workstation will be familiar with the usual setup of one or two (or more) vertical displays set somewhere towards the back and input peripherals laid out on a horizontal area at the front. Users generally place a number of other objects on the flat surface in front of them too, such as paper documents (despite numerous moves towards a paperless office), pens and mugs of coffee.

Read more: gizmag