Multitouch-Table from IGD-Fraunhofer

Remember a couple of years ago when Microsoft presented Surface? Well, the guys from IGD-Fraunhofer have come up with better and less expensive solution: The MultiTouch-Table.

It has basically the same functionality that Surface has, but its main target are engineers and designers. The table is 1.5 x 0.9 mts., and it's one of the largest devices of this kind out there. It uses a camera to observe the tables surface and a software called VisionLib to track each finger independently reaching with this the multitouch aspect of it.


According to IGD-Fraunhofer "...using multitouch input on the one hand and 3D data visualisation on the other, a user now can almost touch the 3D content and seamlessly interact with it. Thus, the Touchtable itself becomes an incredible and unique tool for the presentation and explanation of advanced processes along the value chain of plant engineering and construction: Plant elements are selected by simply touching them. Once selected, these components can be rotated in almost 360 degrees and continuously be zoomed and regarded as close as possible. Never before, one could have such an incredible and phenomenal insight."

This is definitively one project we have to keep and eye on the years to come.

USB Batteries

Now, how cool are these? You won't need another battery recharger ever, since you now might be able to use your own usb ports to plug in your new usb batteries.
They're normal AA batteries made of Sealed Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH), they take a few hours to charge but still they're very handy and easy to use. You can buy them at thinkgeek.com for about $20 the pair.