Paper Reading #10: PhoneTouch: a technique for direct phone interaction on surfaces

Reference Information:

Title: PhoneTouch: a technique for direct phone interaction on surfaces

Authors: Dominik Schmidt, Fadi Chehimi, Enrico Rukzio, Hans Gellersen

Conference: User Interface Software and Technology 2010

Summary:

This paper talks about PhoneTouch - a novel technique for integration of mobile

phones and interactive surfaces. The technique enables use

of phones to select targets on the surface by direct touch, facilitating

for instance pick&drop-style transfer of objects between

phone and surface. The technique is based on separate

detection of phone touch events by the surface, which determines

location of the touch, and by the phone, which contributes

device identity. The device-level observations are

merged based on correlation in time. In the paper, the authors describe a proof of-

concept implementation of the technique, using vision for

touch detection on the surface including discrimination of

finger versus phone touch and acceleration features for detection

by the phone.

(Fig. PhoneTouch enables direct phone interaction on surfaces alongside conventional multi-touch.)

Discussion:

I think the idea of using a collaborative touch surface with phones is really interesting. It can be used in home as well as in office. In office, documents can be drag-n-dropped on the surface to share them with everyone, at home pictures and movies can be shared by dragging them from the phone onto the the collaborative surface. I believe this technology has already been put to use in developing certain multimedia application, iphone apps etc.