MIT researchers created a 300 dollar sixth sense ubiquitous portable computing device: a necklace that channels Internet information into daily routines. The device can turn any surface into a touch-screen for computing, controlled by simple hand gestures. The gadget can even take photographs if a user frames a scene with
his or her hands, or project a watch face with the proper time on a
wrist if the user makes a circle there with a finger. The MIT wizards cobbled a Web camera, a battery-powered projector
and a mobile telephone into a gizmo that can be worn like jewelry.
Signals from the camera and projector are relayed to smart phones with
Internet connections. More information here and a video.
TrackMate is an easy-to-build tangible user interface. If you want to link physical object directly to digital information, TrackMate is an open source initiative to create an inexpensive, do-it-yourself tangible tracking system. The Trackmate Tracker allows any computer to recognize tagged objects and their corresponding position, rotation, and color information when placed on a surface. Trackmate sends all object data via LusidOSC (a protocol layer for unique spatial input devices), allowing any LusidOSC-based application to work with the system. Check their website to download Trackmate & LusidOSC.
The vending machines of the future are almost here. These new machines use animations and interactive menus to assist and enrich your experience when ordering a drink. Plus they use Wifi to alert owners to dwindling supplies. The machine has motion sensors, so when you try to shake it cause you’re frustrated that your drink isn’t coming out as fast as you’d like to, the machine can display warnings and it can also tape you the machine has a built in camera to capture images of vandals. Check out this prototype video of the vending machines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-DX6sEFRSI
When visiting the new Google Maps New York City information center, you
can view and try out a new touch screen table which works with gesture
recognition.
You can use the kiosks to navigate the city and create a custom itinerary for your visit.
When you want to start the experience, you place a disk in the center
of the screen, then you can browse an interactive (Google) map of New
York in which you can look up restaurants, tourist attractions,
nightlife and other things. You browse the options and you have the
possibility to add locations to your personal disk. Next step: take the
disk out of the device and place it on a reader for a virtual tour
through a 3D model of NYC. You can have your planning emailed, texted
or printed out, so you’re ready to explore the Big Apple! Check this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-rfH-UrC-s
Our goal is mapping participatory processes used by media art
institutions and artists. In this regard, we apply the mapping
methodology by using basic elements such as icons, lines, and arrows.
The findings will inspire the realisation of the second prototype of
the artistic multi-touch interface. We have organised three mapping workshops in the passed three months.
Media art institutions and artists we cooperated with are association
Constant vzw, organisation FoAM and artist Frederik De Wilde. Two
workshops are planned in the next month with art centre Z33 and artist
Marthe Van Dessel.
Engadget posted an interesting entry about Google Maps-powered interactive tables situated in New York City's new high-tech tourist center. A video is available here.
Microsoft Surface doesn't work with the mouse and/or keyboard, it employs a camera-based vision system that makes it possible for users to grab digital content with their hands and move information between object with simple gestures and touches.
Via a 30-inch tabletop display, multiple users can get together to interact with digital information and with each other. And the device has the ability to connect with other devices, including networks, printers, card readers,...
The camera system of Microsoft Surface recognizes fingers, hands, paintbrushes, tagged objects and a myriad of real-world items. It allows users to grab digital information and interact with the content through touch and gestures. A great difference with other touch-screens, Surface recognizes many points of contact simultaneously so multiple people can interact at the same time.
The tagged object recognition is very innovative. The tag is what lets Surface uniquely identify objects, helping the system to tell the difference between two identical looking bottles for example.
In this short YouTube movie you can view the possibilities Microsoft Surface offers. Written by Ann-Katrien Cox
Citywall was created by the Ubiquitous Interaction Research Group in the IPCity project in Helsinky. CityWall is an interactive multi-touch display featuring digital media arranged into themes and events and it’s open to public experimentation at the Lasipalatsi medical center in Helsinki. CityWall currently offers passers-by a 3D GUI to explore the benefits and nuisances of urban nature. It’s able to recognize an unlimited number of fingers touching the screen and uniquely identify them. People can shuffle the content on the display as if the images are real. This creates a customizable digital experience for the user en promotes meaningful digital media interaction.
Inamo, a London restaurant has integrated a touch screen interface into its ordering procedure. Inamo utilizes a combination of projections of the dishes and touch-sensitive table top to create a visually appealing interactive menu. Via the interface you can preview your choice because illustrations of food and drinks are projected on the table surface. But that aren’t the only features the table tops offer, you can also look up neighborhood services and even call a taxi! Written by Ann-Katrien Cox
Monday 2nd of March, Liesbeth, Priscilla & Tanguy joined a workshop on 
TrackMate is an easy-to-build tangible user interface. If you want to link physical object directly to digital information, TrackMate is an open source initiative to create an inexpensive, do-it-yourself tangible tracking system. The Trackmate Tracker allows any computer to recognize tagged objects and their corresponding position, rotation, and color information when placed on a surface. Trackmate sends all object data via LusidOSC (a protocol layer for unique spatial input devices), allowing any LusidOSC-based application to work with the system.
Our goal is mapping participatory processes used by media art
institutions and artists. In this regard, we apply the mapping
methodology by using basic elements such as icons, lines, and arrows.
The findings will inspire the realisation of the second prototype of
the artistic multi-touch interface. We have organised three mapping workshops in the passed three months.
Media art institutions and artists we cooperated with are association
Engadget posted an interesting 
MAP-it by Liesbeth Huybrechts & Thomas Laureyssens is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Belgium License. Based on a work at map-it.be.