The next step in paperless offices? "Augmented Surfaces" is a research project at Sony. They've developed continuous workspaces that use wall and table surfaces as an extension of the computer desktop. Amazing stuff, though I can't think of a use for it besides exchanging info during meetings.
posted by mathowie (18 comments total)
What's the name of that game where a puck sits on a cushion of air on a table and you use other pucks with handles to knock it back and forward almost without friction? Instead of playing Solitaire whilst you should be working in your cubicle, use this technology play this in meetings with your cow-orkers! You could have four or five a side on big board room tables. It's team building. posted by vbfg at 2:40 PM on September 30, 2001
Sony aren't the only folks working on this. I saw an interesting demonstration at an office furniture show here in Chicago (NeoCon at the Mart), but I can't recall which company it was - might have been Haworth.
At any rate, they had integrated the computer into the desktop itself - essentially, there was not "monitor" in the traditional sense.
Obviously, they didn't have a working prototype, and instead relied on projected images. They did, however, have a beta version of the software working on a touch screen.
It was most cool, and seems like the next logical step in the advancement of computing. Anyone know of any "surfaces" that would allow these sorts of displays? It makes me think about digital ink technology. posted by aladfar at 3:44 PM on September 30, 2001
I would have to keep my desk cleaned off. Better yet, maybe this system would organize my mess for me! There might be hope for us IT guys yet... posted by hockeyman at 4:07 PM on September 30, 2001
I'm curious about the linking-to-real-objects part of the system, the videotape example. Are the cameras identifying and remembering the look of the tape, so that if it was taken out of the room and back in, the system would remember the links? posted by D at 4:36 PM on September 30, 2001
sounds like the TV walls in bradbury's fahrenheit 451. let's hope the entertainment isn't as vacuous. posted by moz at 5:07 PM on September 30, 2001
Purely useless in an office, except as "my toys are better than your toys," but I can't WAIT to see what artists can do with it! posted by realjanetkagan at 5:37 PM on September 30, 2001
dude. porn. posted by sugarfish at 5:37 PM on September 30, 2001
I do not need this. I can't clear off my desk, now I have to clear off my walls, too. posted by sierray at 5:46 PM on September 30, 2001
Bruce Tognazzini, when he was at Sun, developed a "video prototype" for a similar technology, Starfire. It was all visionary stuff--they didn't build the tech, just did some conceptual design. posted by peterme at 5:46 PM on September 30, 2001
At my last job we were treated to some demos of some similar technology from the MIT Media Lab -- once again, it felt like technology looking for a solution. posted by briank at 5:53 PM on September 30, 2001
Please use these images in your articles, presentation/lecture slides, with a copyright notice such as "Copyright(C) 1998-1999, Sony Computer Science Laboratories",
You have to love that "such as"!
Now if everybody was that polite we wouldn't need paper in the first place... posted by MiguelCardoso at 7:41 PM on September 30, 2001
They need to add a scanner into the table so if someone does come to the meeting with a piece of paper they can just scan it on the table to share with everybody...no more waiting for someone to run off to the copier for copies. posted by ArkIlloid at 8:37 PM on September 30, 2001
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posted by vbfg at 2:40 PM on September 30, 2001