If you were asked whether you wanted to reach inside your computer and touch its inner workings then you would probably assume that a screwdriver and a good deal of patience would be needed.
Well, this is no longer the case, as a transparent computer has been unveiled at the recent TED conference which was held in Los Angeles.
A clever developer by the name of Jinha Lee has been hard at work making the SpaceTop 3D; a device which you reach into in order to touch digital content. He said that by making our interactions with computers more like the way we deal with other solid objects it would be more intuitive.
A Decade Before We Use One?
Lee went on to say that he thinks that this kind of transparent computer could be used on a widespread basis in the next 10 years.
So how does it work? There is a see through LED display which has cameras built into it. These cameras are used to follow the user’s hand and eye movements. The PC’s designer says that when you are working on a big document you could pick it up in your hands and flick through it as though you are were reading a real life book. There is also a touchpad for carrying out more delicate tasks such as designing intricate 3D models.
An important part of the theory is around “spatial memory”. This is the human quality for remembering intuitively where to find the things which they have used before. By physically carrying out the operations you would stand a better chance of remembering how to do them in the future.
