Crystal Gazing on Computer Technology

Have you ever dreamed of using a portable computer so small in size and yet so big and many are the screens, allowing usage by gesturing in the air, in anywhere?

In the movie Minority Report, Chief John Anderton (cast by Tom Cruise) have all screens projected on a big transparent board and flipped one screen from another screen, zooming from small to large and so on. All his gestures are done in the air without touching the board. Will this technology be further developed to the level as mentioned in the first paragraph and available to everyone in the future? Let us take a look at the crystal ball to see if there is any hope for the dream to come true.

Before we go on the discussion, please take a look to the demonstration by Chief John Anderton in Minority Report.

All the technologies shown in the movie can be viewed as a basis for the dream in the technology advancement. They are not completely available in the reality at the moment. Take a look at the recent status and start from CeBIT 2008. We shall have an idea on how far we are lagging behind the dream.

Many people are familiar with this touch screen experience because the technology has already been applied in the mobile phone industry such as iphone, tablet computer such as ipad.

The touch screen technology is on the way developing, but what about the part gesturing in the air? The latest development of a computer accessory may give us a hint.

For computer, desktop, laptop, net-book, many of us use a mouse. From wired to wireless, this was a leap. But the latest technology is extending to mouse-less. The concept is to have an IR camera, an IR Laser and an IR Plane. The user cupped his hand and performed the mouse-less gestures within the detect area.

 (The system. Photo link)

(Mouse-less gesture. Photo link)

The cost of this set of mouse-less device is approximate USD20. The unit price for sales is to be confirmed.

If a projector can add to the system and attach to the computer, showing different screens in the air, enlarging the detect area, maybe we can stand and work through screen from screen like Chief John Anderton did in the Minority Report.

Once the system is available, its further development is built-in. The whole computer unit will be smaller and one day it is just pocket size. People can enjoy the portability and use computer in anywhere. For example, people can choose beautiful scenery as the screen background and work on by gesturing in the air at the countryside if they like.

For indoor usage, people can do exercise, reading and writing simultaneously. The hands may be busy in flipping through screens or typing on the keyboard in the air. The lower part of the body is busy in working on an exercise bike or treadmill.

The crystal ball suggests the dream may take a long time to be available in the market, but it will come true. It will also be affordable to the majority like the existing computers, wired or wireless mouse we have right now.