Still Using a Mouse?

Slightly less than a year ago, Jeff Han unveiled a new multitouch technology. Jeff Han is a researcher at the computer science department at New York University. In the video below, Han is working with a 36" by 27" multitouch display which he uses to manipulate a "lava lamp"-type screen saver program.

Traditional touch screens often used in tablet PCs and PDAs are limited in that they can only receive input from one source at a time. Both Han's multitouch display and the new iPhone sport technology allowing multiple inputs to be accurately interpreted, offering an intuitive new way to control computer applications. I find it interesting that although the two technologies are almost exactly similar in nature, the inner workings of the two differ dramatically.

The technology behind both products are quite impressive. An optical sensor technology is utilized in Han's display with an accuracy up to 2.5 mm. The technology behind Apple's iPhone is provided by a company called Fingerworks, which has been making multitouch technology pads. Fingerworks has recently ceased operations as a business.

The difference between Han's technology and Apple's is that Han's is meant to take advantage of bigger screens. "The only thing that the touchscreen is not particularly good for is typing text," says Yann LeCun, a professor overseeing Han's work at NYU. It remains to be seen how well Apple's iPhone will receive input, but if Apple's dedication to intuitive user interfaces as demonstrated by the iPod family is any indication, I don't believe we'll have anything to worry about.