A Wider Net

For nearly 20 years we computer users have been part of a point-and-click world. Whether we move a mouse, roll a trackball, bend a stick, or slide along a pad - we have a device that we must manipulate in some fashion in order to use a computer. The purpose of this man-machine interface is to interpret a gesture and translate it into a logical control. Nothing is more simple than point and click, said Apple and Xerox back in the ’80’s, and they were right - mostly.

Simpler interfaces are upon us. PDA’s brought forth the era of the stylus. Pointing with a stylus is a comfortable, familiar interface because you interact directly - point and tap. (Of course, PDA’s also brought back handwriting as an input method which is just nutty to me, but we’ll let that go). Touchscreens allow us to point directly at what we want. You simply point and touch. Don’t try that at Yoga class. Tablet computers (wicked big PDA’s) are a pen-meets-PC mashup with laptop display capabilities, handwriting familiarity, point-and-peck simplicity, and a degree of precision that makes PDA’s and Touchscreens envious.
Now there are gesture-based interfaces. You simply… point. No point and click. No point and tap. No point and touch. Just point. It may not be as sexy as telling your Hondacura to “Find nearest Starbucks” and may not fly in countries where pointing is rude, but pointing interfaces are very “Minority Report” (cool) without the “Tom Cruise” (not).

Gesturetek has long been a pioneer in the field of gesture-based input. Three of their most popular products: HoloPoint, GroundFX, and Illuminate allow you to interact with content by pointing, waving, or even kicking, and all three are coming to our upcoming Innovation Day. I have used all of these devices before, and I just love them. HoloPoint combines a transparent holoscreen and a gesture-based pointing interface. The video image appears to float in mid air, and to interact with it, you simply point at it. Illuminate is similar except the video is projected onto a frosted piece of glass, allowing you to touch the video surface like a touch screen. Unlike a touch screen there is no technology in the video screen - it is really a piece of glass, and that makes it more elegant, reliable, and vandal-proof. GroundFX, a system that combines large video projection with gesture-tracking input, can be used on the ground or on the wall. You can point, wave, and kick at it and it reacts.

Gesturetek also provided technology for Microsoft’s XBOX 360 Live Vision Camera, also on display at Innovation Day. They also designed technology for mobile phones to support gesture-based games. The obvious question is - who holds the phone while you’re busy pointing and waving?

Gesture-based input devices aren’t suitable for every application. They aren’t super-responsive, and they aren’t super-precise. They are, however, magical, compelling, intuitive, and fun. They create interactive experiences that are memorable and cool. Gamers can rest their thumbs, and Boston drivers can rest their other finger. I encourage everyone thinking about exhibits, installations, and events to consider how powerful it is to have your guests point - at your content, at your products, and at your brand.