BendDesk Merges Computer, Monitor and Desk

cylonlover writes "Researchers from Aachen University's Media Computing Group have created a computer workstation called the BendDesk where the desk and screen are transformed into one multi-touch display. The display is curved at the middle and uses infrared emitters and cameras to track user movement over the whole of the surface, which has its graphical user interface beamed onto it by a couple of short throw projectors hidden within its wooden frame."

Comments

Awesome for the disorganized

[thedonger]

Great. Now I can be disorganize on two planes!

Fugly

[mcgrew]

They need to work on the carpentry of the desk before they sell very many. It looks like something an eighth grader might construct. It looks like a programming project (measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with a chain saw). It definately needs asthetic attention.

Re:Fugly

[boarder8925]

There's a reason it's still a prototype. Sheesh.

Re:Fugly

[Samantha Wright]

Respectfully disagree. The prototype's purpose is to show the feasibility of the usage paradigm, not satisfy your arbitrary aesthetic passions.

Re:Fugly

[solaraddict]

Which it, incidentally, also fails to do: from TFA, testers tend to use the surface as two separate screens, which sort of makes the hassle with curved surface quite pointless; and don't get me started on the horrible UX of large, upright touchscreens.

Re:Fugly

[lxs]

Did you just say "feasibility of the usage paradigm" and mean it?

Re:Fugly

[Tanktalus]

Well, yes and no. The paradigm the developers went in with was thrown out. But continued reading shows that they ended up with new ideas - ones that don't necessarily change the bent desk paradigm, but merely how to present a useful UI projected on to it. The examples included a docking bar put on the curve, or temporary storage of icons/windows. It's this type of real-world-ish feedback that makes prototypes so useful.

Re:No mouse

[ledow]

Touchscreen rarely has the necessary responsiveness to enable you to type as you would on a keyboard.

Even writing this, I'm writing 10-15 characters a second, spread all over the keyboard, with only a tiny gap between each. My fingers know when to "bounce" up because they feel the button hit bottom. Touchscreen generally can't handle anywhere near that speed, accuracy, or tactile response (the biggest problem with even the most expensive touchscreens on public display - watch old grannies stab at the thing like it's a disobedient child because it just doesn't feel like the clicks are registering).

It won't work. Won't fly in schools (vertical surface = interference with eye contact and/or that they have to be placed only along the walls, mucky fingers, expensive hardware, etc.). Won't fly in business (two clunky and huge and expensive, RSI would be terrible working at something that physical for 8 hours a day). Won't fly in public kiosks (too pointless when a flat screen would do the same).

And to be honest, why does it have to be curved at all? It could just be two projected displays at right angles and nobody would care.