The touch revolution comes to a wall near you

This week I was invited to participate in a customer event concerning innovation. My presentation was “Innovation for Impact” as I wanted to show how Microsoft and our partners are making work experiences more positive and more productive. One of the innovations that I highlighted was from a company called Ubi Interactive.

Ubi is a Seattle based technology startup that offers a gesture-control solution to turn every surface into a 3D multi-touch screen. Its solution is simple as it consists of a Microsoft Kinect for Windows sensor and the Ubi software. The sensor can be placed facing a display created by front projection or rear projection. The user can interact with the display using simple gestures as if it is a touch screen. Ubi analyzes the images captured by the sensor to detect the position of the user’s hands or fingers in the 3D space in front of the display.

It can precisely determine when the user is in contact with the display and pass on this as standard touch events to any touch optimized Windows 8 application. While the Ubi solution probably doesn’t replace a high resolution touch screen such as Perceptive Pixel, you can certainly see how this solution could be a winner as many businesses already have projectors set up in conference rooms.

I am always amazed by the Kinect effect and how it is changing the way we live, work and play and this just another example in a long line of Kinect inspired innovation.  Ubi Interactive is on my list of cool companies. Check them out as they may make you list too! – Jon C. Arnold

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