One of the most familiar uses of Multi-Touch Technology is the Apple IPhone and the IPod Touch. The term ‘Multi-Touch’ is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. The IPhone was introduced in 2007, but the Multi-Touch technology was developed in 1982 by Nimish Mehta at the University of Toronto.
The Multi-Touch surface is able to determine multiple touch points at any location on the surface. Used in a musical application, this makes it very easy to play a chord by touching three or more keys simultaneously in a graphical representation of a keyboard.
By using pinching motions on the Multi-Touch screen, you can increase or decrease the size of a web page displayed on an IPod Touch. By using a sweeping motion up or down along the side of the screen, you can rapidly scroll through web pages.
Larger Multi-Touch screens can be built within a reasonable budget. There are many examples of this from hobbyists on the internet.
A number of companies have invested in and released advanced computers with Multi-Touch capabilities. One example is the 15.6-inch Acer Aspire 5738 PG laptop. At less than $800.00, it seems a good buy, but some glitches in the screen have been reported.
Microsoft has developed a computer in a table top which incorporates a large Multi-Touch screen. Dubbed ‘Microsoft Surface’, it became available for use by AT&T customers in 2008. Though still too expensive for the general public, analysts predict wide spread use of such devices in the next few years.
Called ‘The Magic Touch’, the Dell SX2210T 21.5 inch Multi-Touch Monitor brings this technology home. This is a high definition monitor providing 1920 by 1080 pixels of resolution. It is 16:9 widescreen for use on any Windows 7 based home computer. With Dell behind it and at a price of $469, this is sure to become a very commonly used technology in the next few years.
