MultiTouch Ltd has developed a rival to Microsoft’s Surface technology in the form of the MultiTaction Cell 55 – the world?s first modular multi-touch LCD screen for large-scale displays in which the number of events and simultaneous users, it is claimed, is limited only by the size of the device.
The product, a 55-inch display, is the first to emerge from the company?s new software and hardware platform for large-scale multi-touch LCD displays, MultiTaction. Initial customers for the MultiTaction Cell 55 include Intel Corp., U.S. digital agency Momentum and Norwegian interactive design firm One Communications.
MultiTaction builds on MultiTouch?s patented optical imaging technology Computer Vision Through Screen for multitouch displays, and is claimed to provide the world?s most advanced set of touch, gesture and object recognition capabilities. The MultiTaction Cell 55 is a Full HD display that is four inches deep on the sides and eight inches deep in the middle, can accommodate unlimited number of touch points and an unlimited number of concurrent users with full hand recognition.
With a response time of 200+ frames per second, MultiTaction units are designed for interaction with real-life objects whether drinking glasses, 2D barcodes, or game pieces, for example, and can be stacked to any size or shape using tens of units. The product?s frameless thin bezel design enables MultiTaction to be embedded in custom-designed furniture. The smooth edge-to-edge front glass on the display unit is said to be a first for any multitouch display. Further information and a white paper on MultiTaction can be found at www.multitaction.com. You can also see an explanatory video at:
http://www.youtube.com/multitouchfi#p/a/u/1/kIwpc1PDQWY
“The years of research and market development that we have poured into creating MultiTaction have finally yielded what we now know to be the industry?s next platform for creating powerful multi-user multitouch displays,” said Petri Martikainen, CEO of MultiTouch Ltd. “By working with the world?s leading interactive developers, we have carefully listened to our customers and developed technology that can be used by what we know will be a large community of multitouch software developers committed to touching the future.”
MultiTaction’s most significant advancement is that its optical multitouch sensor technology is integrated with the backlight and infrared emitters into integrated circuit (IC) boards, creating a modular camera system that can scale up to more than 100-inch high-resolution displays with the same slim design.
Among other features, the MultiTaction platform eliminates sensitivity to external lighting, such as sunlight, spotlights, and other external light sources. MultiTaction incorporates a new hybrid tracking technology that combines shadows with infrared reflections for smooth performance in any environment.
First introduced to the global market in 2009, the MultiTouch Cell product family has been sold in more than 40 countries, and installed in some of the most prominent international venues, including the recent Space Shuttle exhibit at NASA’s Space Center Houston; the Patina installations at Acme Brick stores; the Wall of Chile installation at the Chilean Pavilion at the Expo 2010 Shanghai China; the One Road Interactive exhibit at the National Museum of Australia; and the Siemens Identity Display in Vienna. The Cell products are used for retail, advertising, exhibitions, museums, broadcast, education and design.
The MultiTaction Cell 55 is available now for orders direct from MultiTouch or through MultiTouch resellers around the world.
