Three Minds On Digital Marketing @ Organic

Science Fact
We will begin to see touch-screen computers become available for those on the fringe of technology, the elderly and very young children. The movement towards gesture-based computing will flatten the learning curve and introduce a new language to a new generation and bring acceptance to the techno-phobic. Everyone from a few months old to my grandma and John McCain will be computing.

Science Fiction
What we won't be seeing in the "near future" is big screen walls in everyone's home, where they navigate their files through a three-dimensional space. The problem with these interfaces is that they are actually moving away from the "natural". What is more natural... flipping through a small device on your lap as you would a magazine or shifting around floating objects against your wall? I feel the move towards touch-screen, gesture-based interface has to do what it promises, and stick with the way we naturally want to interact with the world around us.

Where It's Poking Through
The potential of the multi-touch gesture became full realized, of course, with the launch of the iPhone. Another example is Microsoft Surface, which went beyond multi-touch gestures and offered a more natural action with your other devices. You lay your phone down on the Surface table and now your phone is interacting with the system. Finally, the other big technology launch that inspired people to start using their hands in a more instinctual way was the Nintendo Wii.

But here are some theorized or upcoming interfaces you might not have heard of:

1. faceAPI tracks the movement of your head and face via webcams to display graphics in a way that makes them seem to pop out in a three-dimensional space:


2. There are augmented reality games like Kick Ass Kung Fu and Funky Forest, which don't need a remote or even a floor mat to allow full body interaction. Instead, cameras record player movement:

3. Philips unveiled future interactive concepts for lighting and health at their Simplicity 2007 event, all of which featured touch screen technology of some kind:


4. Project Maestro uses a Wii remote to create a modern version of the powerglove, except that this time it actually works. You can use both hands, no pointing, no clicking, no remote, to orchestrate objects to move on the screen:


5. And while Adaptive Path's Aurora concept videos are just that, it is still good to note that they chose to focus in on a gestural interface as part 4 of their series:


Where Social Will Fit In
Social media and collaboration based tools have pushed far into the mainstream. Universal McCann reported this year that half of all U.S. adults use social media. There is no denying that whatever interface we use in the future, social will be an integral part of it. So what does it mean for social features in the context of the natural interface?

For starters, there will need to be a whole new series of gestures based on social interactions. So think beyond flipping through web pages and pinching photos. Think more along the lines of the Tapulous HandShake. There needs to be gestures for sharing, rating, commenting, and even gestures that are age specific. Maybe a high-five to the screen will let parents know which programming their child likes. And just like Tapulous has suggested, passing along content from one person to the next needs to be no more complicated than a simple handshake.

Tomorrow: Future Interfaces Will Be More Intelligent
Will Google become self-aware? Will my toaster have feelings? Read tomorrow to find out...

Marta Strickland