Sshhh, It's Listening: Totally New Computer Interfaces From: ICT Results - 12/12/2007 European scientists working with the Tangible Acoustic Interfaces for Computer-Human Interaction (TAI-CHI) project have used acoustic sensors to turn wooden tabletops and even three-dimensional, everyday objects into a new type of computer interface. By attaching sensors to solid materials, the researchers were able to locate and track acoustic vibrations. Tapping on certain areas of a whiteboard could generate musical notes on a computer, and tracking the sound of a finger writing words on a sheet of hardboard could be recorded, in real time, as handwriting on a computer screen, eliminating the need for interfaces like keyboards. Sensing vibrations in a solid material and converting them to electrical signals is easy, but exactly locating the source of the vibration has been difficult due to the complex structures of solids and the variations they cause in wave propagation. For example, knots in wood will alter how acoustic vibrations travel. The TAI-CHI team explored four different technologies including Time Delay of Arrival (TDOA), time reversal, Multi-Sensor Tracking through the Reversal of Dispersion, and in-solid acoustic holography. Tangible acoustic interfaces will not replace keyboards and mice anytime soon, but there are certain situations that would benefit from having alternative interfaces, such as in dirty environments or hospitals where keyboards could becoming hiding places for bacteria and viruses. "Time reversal is a beautiful technology," says researcher Ming Yang. "Unlike TDOA, it works with any object and does note require special materials. Because it needs only a single sensor and a normal computer, it is very simple and cost effective. One spin-off company from the University of Paris is working on commercial applications for this." Read the entire article at: http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults/index.cfm/section/news/tpl/article/BrowsingType/Features/ID/89389 Links: Tangible Acoustic Interfaces for Computer-Human Interaction http://www.taichi.cf.ac.uk/ http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=PROJ_IST&ACTION=D&DOC=8&CAT=PROJ&QUERY=1196341764243&RCN=71121