SINGAPORE, July 13 — Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have demonstrated a new system that can turn everything from window panes to tables into interactive touchscreens.

Called Speech Touch and Acoustic Tangible Interfaces for Next-generation Applications (or STATINA for short), it uses low-cost sensors to identify and measure the vibrations created by hands and fingers when they touch a surface, whether made of glass, wood, aluminium or melamine, like a traditional dry-erase whiteboard.

Using a specially developed algorithm, the vibrations created by touching a surface can be easily translated into commands that are in turn fed to a computer.

When the vibration-recording sensors are paired with a simple webcam, the system can match said vibrations to individual finger or hand movements and replicate the 10-point multi-touch operation that is standard on current high-end tablets and touch-enabled computer monitors.

Best of all, the system can be retro-fitted to existing devices, such as televisions and to existing furniture and fittings. Meaning that with the addition of a few electronic components, a dining table could well become the world’s largest touch pad.

“Our innovative system is able to transform surfaces such as wooden tables, aluminium, steel, glass and even plastics into low-cost touch screens. It means in future, you could play computer games or draw sketches on walls or windows since almost all surfaces can be made touch-sensitive with our system,” said NTU assistant professor Andy Khong of the technology.

STATINA is the culmination of Khong’s research spanning the last four years. The technology has already won a number of prizes and has been the source of a number of scientific papers and, of course, patent applications. He and his team of researchers are now working to commercialise their invention by developing a more compact system and expanding its capabilities to include tracking of fingers and stylus movements using optical cameras. — AFP-Relaxnews