With so much focus on developing tablet PCs and other mobile devices
today, it appears that other kinds of innovations on desktop computing
are left ignored. Jinha Lee and Cati Boulanger, who formerly worked for
Microsoft Applied Sciences, however, are introducing a new See-Through
3D Desktop that might revolutionalize desktop computing
Using
a transparent OLED screen from Samsung, the duo has devised a prototype
computer that reverses the traditional setup of desktop PCs. In their
model, the keyboard is at the back of the see-through monitor, allowing
users to type as well give 3D input to the screen in front.
This
three-dimensionality is made possible by cameras that sense depth, as
well as track the user’s head movements. Thus, the computer is aware of
the perspective of the user and is able to provide a genuine 3D view on
the screen.
This prototype, however, is far from being available
to consumers as there are several issues that need to be settled. For
instance, it appears uncomfortable for users to slip their hands under
the screen to access the keyboard. Also, users who are unable to type
without looking at the keys might have a hard time typing given that the
screen could partially obscure the keyboard, even if it has a high
opacity.
Still, the See-Through 3D Desktop might inspire engineers
to think out of the box and imagine new designs, rather than churn out
models that are similar to each other.
