TouchKit: Open Source Multi-Touch

by Mike Gunderloy - Aug. 25, 2008Comments (4) | Trackback URL

Intrigued by Microsoft Surface, but don't want to spend $10,000 - or deal with Microsoft? Then take a look at the TouchKit project, which can help you get together a table-sized screen with a multitouch interface, using open source components.

TouchKit comprises both hardware and software components. On the software side, the API is implemented as an addon to OpenFrameworks. This gives it cross-platform compatibility with OS X, Windows, and Linux, though you're going to need to be comfortable hacking around in a pre-release C++ framework to make use of it. The software is licensed LGPLv3.

On the hardware side, TouchKit consists of a computer, projector, camera, and a special screen including a rear projection surface and strings of infrared LEDs. Since you're not all that likely to have the screen laying around, the inventors will sell you the core pieces for $1580 or just the infrared strip lighting for $350.They also say they'll be releasing schematics under a Creative Commons license, making this another open hardware project. Some of the hardware schematics are already online, with more to come.

TouchKit reminds me of some of the fun hacking projects that form our heritage in the computer field, right back to the original Spacewar! If you're handy with a soldering iron and have some spare time and a bit of spare money, it could be a great project to get involved with.


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4 Comments
 

The same can be done for less then 50 bucks, just get a WII wimote and use it the other way and ejoy multi touch on your table or your existing laptop, look for it on google.

0 Votes

I believe the whole purpose of this kit is so you can have multitouch on something other than a laptop or computer screen, and not have to waste your wiimote. Do you want your lappy sitting in your livingroom so people can browse your vacation pics of your vacation? Would be a bit cooler to have a table to do that imho.

Its great they're building on openframeworks and providing the api in addition to a kit for folks who may not want to piece everything together, cheers to the developers.

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By using sound with four generators/receivers for a true 3d resolution and a projector, a user could dynamically setup a "I want to sit here" calibration of hand movements. This shold be an imagination starter for what could be done and not limit to just one vision. May the best interface win!

0 Votes

This has been available for YEARS now in linux. MPX (multi-pointer-X11) has finally matured enough to be integrated with the mainstream code.

I would actually be building a table with all this in, if it weren't so expensive.

0 Votes
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