For the physical design, I have created a 3D model of the prototype. I planned to keep the design simple and not overpowering the application. The design is a draft and may be alter to fit the theme or budget.

Place a web cam in a box. Create a hole for the cable to go through.

Create a frame for the top. Get creative. The bamboo frame compliment the theme.

Top View

Cut out glass or acrylic according to frame size.

Place a piece of white paper in between the glass and the bamboo frame.

Adjust the placement and cut out any access materials.

Top View

Place the frame on top of the box.

Side View

This is a draft layout of the edutainment application.

Collection of sketches on application layout.

Diffused Illumination (DI) relies on the same basic principles of the contrast between the silent image and the finger that touches the surface. Infrared light (IR) is shined at the screen surface from below. A diffuser is placed on top or on bottom of the touch surface. When an object touches the surface it reflects more light than the diffuser or objects in the background; the extra IR light is sensed by a camera. Depending on the diffuser, this method can also detect hover and objects placed on the surface. DI requires infrared illuminators to function. DI also needs some sort of a diffuser material to diffuse the light that frequently doubles as the projection surface.

When the user comes into contact with the touch surface, the IR light is scattered resulting in a blob or IR light. This light blob is seen by a IR camera and relaying them to tracking software. This principle is very useful for implementing multi-touch displays, since the light that is scattered by the user is now able to exit the acrylic in a well defined area under the contact point and becomes clearly visible to the camera below. An in-system projector is used to display visual feedback on the table surface. It is important to consider that projector lamps have a mean-life expectancy of typically 6000+ hours.

Advantages

• Can use any transparent top material like hardened glass (not just acrylic)
• Can track fingers and hovering fingers
• Can recognize objects or markers

Disadvantages

• Sensitive to ambient light
• Requires a diffuser coating
• Required on site calibration
• Greater chance of ‘false blobs’ then FTIR technique

http://www.touchscreenmagazine.nl/multitouch-techniques/direct-illumination










Below is a list of software needed in order for the Multi-touch pad to work.

- Touchlib
- Flash player
- Java
- Microsoft Visual C++
- tbeta (does not work on Win7)

Our mission is to design a Multi-user, multi-touch environment that allows user to experience the application without the hassle of clicking.


By implementing the gesture recognition, this experience allow human to interface with the machine and interact naturally without any mechanical devices. For example, the Iphone with its huge success. The gesture recognition is easily understood by user as it comes naturally like scrolling down,tapping and pointing.



Theme : Edutainment

Objective : To encourage kids to play and understand how to nurture and monitor a plant growth.

Software : Belum Ville

Hardware : Multi-touch pad/ box

While in Belum, visiting the orang asli settlement, we realized they have their own food source right from their back yard. Each settlement has a small vegetable garden as food source besides catching fish and collecting forest fruits. Their staple food, tapioca is largely planted in the garden as well as banana and papaya tree.

Based on this idea, we decided to create an edutainment for kids to experience how to take care of this plant. Since the main target audience is young user, the concept will be a cartoon garden complete with interface element for user to interact.

The main purpose is to allow kids to experience gardening with the help of the interface (e.g button, sound, indicator, etc).However we plan to do this without mouse or keyboard. This is where the multi-touch pad comes in. The multi-touch pad is cheap, light and work well under the right light condition.

Without the constant need to retrieved to mouse clicking and navigating with keyboard, this multi-touch pad allow kids to use their finger to move and interact with the object. Simple intuitive. Even though this application (Belum Ville) still has interface element (button, links, symbol, icon) the kids can easily understand how to use the application and the hardware.

Through the developmental process, we will be exploring both the hardware and software side of Multi-touch computing. On the hardware end, various materials will be tested and documented.





http://tcsemeru.wordpress.com/profil-prima-tani-lumajang/kebun-2/

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=829702&page=23

http://brmc.biotrop.org/web/content/fasilitas_full.php?id_fasilitas=10