Moving Keyboard

One of the problems with using only multitouch interfaces is that typing is difficult. Since multitouch screens don't have physical buttons, the user can't feel if they are on the key. Shawn O'Neil found a Microsoft concept that positions the keyboard under your fingers regardless of where they are on the screen.

This could be a very useful concept. If done right, the keys will always be the right size for your fingers and exactly where you expect. For example, when a little kid is typing the keys will be smaller than when an adult is typing. This could also potentially remove the problem of having to switch between the mouse and the keyboard. At least for me, every time I have to switch, I have to reposition my hands. With the moving keyboard, I could simply move my hand to click and then immediately start typing in the new position.

Lasar Harp

Using a modified Wiimote and some music editing software, it is possible to make a laser harp similar to those found in science museums. Stephen Hobley has designed and built a very impressive laser harp:

Using a Wiimote retrofitted with a laser filter and the WiimoteLib, Hobley was able to communicate with a music editing program. By sliding ones hand up or down a beam of light, the sound of the note changes. This looks like it could be a lot of fun, but using it could be difficult because there is no tactile feedback (as noted on his page).

Uncertainty in Human Decision-Making

In the talk by Dr. Konrad Kording, The Influence of Uncertainty on Motor Learning and Its Neural Representation, Dr. Kording explained the baisen probability model of human decision-making. The basien probability is the product of the probability of an outcome based on observed data and the probability of an outcome based on previous experience.

To test the validity of the model, Dr. Kording created an experiment where the subject had to drag their finger across a board. However, the participants could not see their finger, rather they saw a projection that did not reflect reality. During most of the test, the participant received no feedback, at about halfway across they were shown a cursor that could be displaced by some (usually small) distance from where their finger actually was. At the end, they were also showed a cursor. By measuring how the participants changed their motion, the actual displacement and the predicted displacement could be compared. The model fits the data quite well, indicating that humans us baisen probability to decide how to best respond to uncertain situations.

Robotic Hand

While humanoid robotics are not currently developed enough for general human interaction, there is much research directed at creating a robot that can safely interact with humans. An important sub-system of the robot will be the end-effector, or hand. Ishikawa Komuro Lab has developed a high-speed robotic hand capable of manipulating human objects. Some of it's more impressive capabilities are throwing and catching a cell phone and dribbling a ball.

The system consists of a high-speed camera, a parallel photo processing array and the three-fingered end-effector. Using novel control algorithms, the robot is able to throw a ball, tie a knot and catch a cell phone. This end-effector is probably too fast to be used around humans, but for human-robot interaction to become a reality, a similar system will have to be developed.